Staying close with extended family
Staying close with extended family is so important. Having bonds with your family and especially older family is great. You get to learn so much from them and get to hear wonderful stories about things maybe even before you were born. You can learn so much from your extended family, and from older relatives. Think of staying close with them as important as staying close to a really good old friend. You don't just want that relationship to end, but want it to grow and flourish. Here are some tips for staying close with extended family.
Go to family reunions. Family reunions are a great way to learn about what everyone has been doing and a great way to have fun together. If you don't usually have a family reunion, then start having them. They can get expensive, so have everyone pitch in with money or bringing food or other things you might need. Go someone that everyone of all ages with have fun. Make sure that you invite everyone and try to do them every year or every other year. Even if you have everyone just get together at your house for a day it will be worth it. Have a barbeque and just let everyone talk and get to know each other better.
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Send out Christmas, or other holiday, cards. Print out a newsletter with them. Let everyone know about what your family has been doing and how everyone has progressed throughout the year. It is a lot of fun to hear about families and how their children are growing up. It is a great way to let family know about the important things that are going on in the family's life. Send them to all of your extended family so that they can catch up and see what's going on.
Call each other once in a while. If you live far away, then calling each other or emailing is a wonderful way to stay in touch. If you email, you don't have to make sure it is a great time to talk or worry about talking too long. Talking every once in a while is a great way to learn about what is going on and how everyone is doing. Just catching up every year at a reunion isn't a way to know about how everyone is really doing and how the kids are doing so try talking or emailing your loved ones.
Have family dinners. If you have family close then have a dinner together every Sunday night. You can switch places so that one person isn't always cooking, or have people bring something. That way you can all get together and have fun. Also get together on holidays. Get together on holidays like the fourth of July and have a barbeque and do fireworks, as long as they are allowed. It is a great way to have fun and be together.
Being close with relatives is a blessing. They are always there for you if something happens where you need help and are a great way to remember old times. Grandparents are always great to learn things from. Any relationship is a shame to waste especially family ones. Family is a very strong bond and building that bond is important.
