Reflections: Getting the most out of family time

I’m Alpman Ilker, and if there’s one thing I love more than my muscle cars, it’s my family. I’ve been reflecting about it these past weeks, ever since I met up with old friends. They told me that even if they worked from home and spent a lot of time with their families, it just didn’t seem enough, quality-wise.

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 That’s when I got to thinking that more time spent with family doesn’t necessarily equate to having more quality time. There are parents out there who do get to spend a lot of time with their kids but are often distracted by business calls or work they have to do. I realized that spending quality time with people means devoting all your attention to them.

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Take for instance family dinners. Today, family dinners are no longer the experience they were before technology took over everyone’s lives. Nowadays, everyone has their gadgets out at all times, even during meals. Getting the most out of family time means having to set aside these distractions and actually get to talk to family members about their day. It also means allowing everyone to take turns in sharing about their experiences and concerns.

By no means am I Alpman Ilker, Father of the Year, but I try to be. I try my best to teach my kids how to survive on their own by doing basic chores around the house. I also feel like it’s key to quality time to have these meaningful routines wherein all of you work together to keep the house intact.
Do you have any suggestions for quality family time? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section below.

Alpman Ilker is a true-blue family man from Denver, Colorado. He is also a general contractor for a construction company. More reads like this here.