11 Sentimental Traditions That Keep Families Bonded For Life
Even small and subtle traditions have the power to contribute to family stability and bonding.
Miljan Zivkovic | Shutterstock Children who grow up in households with family traditions tend to live happier lives, fueled by a sense of belonging, higher self-esteem, a stronger identity, and better mental health overall, according to parenting researcher Dr. Justin Coulson. When parents prioritize making and sharing traditions at home, they're not just teaching their kids about the importance of cultivating connection and community, but also actively bonding on an individual level.
Despite being fundamental to children's growth and development, many of the sentimental traditions that keep families bonded for life are subtle. From spending quality time together to having uncomfortable conversations and telling stories, traditions can unfold in unique and unexpected ways from household-to-household, but it's the family stability and security they support that genuinely makes a difference.
Here are 11 sentimental traditions that keep families bonded for life
1. Family dinners
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Family dinners are more profound for bonding between parents and their children than they get credit for.
While they can be subtly overlooked amid the chaos of school responsibilities, parents working full-time, or even tensions at home, a 2015 study found that prioritizing them as a consistent family ritual not only boosts a healthier dynamic, but heightens kids' academic achievement at school, combats against disordered eating, and fights against the consequences of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Even if it's just once or twice a week, sitting down to eat a meal as a family, opening up deeper conversations, and encouraging everyone to be present for a short period of time can ensure everyone is reaping their benefits and bonding with each other without pressure of making plans or going out.
2. Pretend interviews
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According to experts from Voiland College, mock interviews — even between parents and their children — can encourage professional success later in life, boosting confidence with answering questions and receiving feedback and reducing the stress and anxiety associated with candidate conversations.
While they might seem silly or uncomfortable at first, especially at home, opening up this opportunity to embrace discomfort as a family contributes to the ability for mock interviews to be one of the sentimental traditions that keep families bonded for life.
Of course, having these uncomfortable conversations can bond parents and their children as well, giving everyone a chance to feel more understood on a deeper level, while still gaining professional and social skills for later in life.
3. Reading before bed
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Considering this ritual of parents reading with their kids before bed doesn't always fade away after a certain age — rather, it's reworked into adolescence and even early adulthood, as both parents and children continue to indulge in different novels and pieces — it's solidified as one of the sentimental traditions that keep families bonded for life.
Of course, it's more than the action of reading and all the benefits researchers have provided for the practice that contributes to its importance; it's also the nostalgia it sparks in children as they grow up.
According to a study from the Institute for Family Studies, this nostalgia actively benefits feelings of belonging amongst family members who look back fondly on their memories, childhood, or specific traditions.
Even when they're still reading before bed, with or without their parents, adult children can look back on all the nights they spent giggling or falling asleep to the sound of their favorite book, still reaping the feelings of security, safety, and love associated with that memory.
4. Trying new and unusual hobbies
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According to a 1993 study on romantic couples, partners who try new things together and invest in experiences they've never done before as a team tend to cultivate happier dynamics. The same can be true for family bonds, as making space for curiosity and getting out of your comfort zone is generally a bonding agent for any kind of relationship, romantic or otherwise.
By trying nontraditional hobbies together — from starting a garden to making art — families cultivate a space to get uncomfortable, teaching their kids how to try new things without unfairly judging themselves or trying to be "the best" at everything.
Kids learn how to cultivate their own self-esteem from their parents at an early age, not only watching their modeled behavior, but by being encouraged to jump into situations like this, where they can give themselves grace and grow as an individual.
5. Family meetings
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Your parents never stop playing an important role in your life. Even if you don't maintain a healthy relationship with them into adulthood, your childhood experiences and interactions tend to live on after you leave home, affecting your personal self-esteem and even your ability to form new social connections and interactions, according to a study from Annals of General Psychiatry.
Engaging in deep conversations is one way families protect their relationships and bond for life, teaching their kids fundamental communication and listening skills, empathy, and self-awareness.
Having consistent family meetings is one tradition that prompts these conversations, urging family members to get out of their comfort zones, express their needs, chat about random topics, explore their curiosities, and regulate their emotions as they appear.
Of course, in an ideal world, these conversations tend to be casual, but by reinforcing their structure — the tradition of a family meeting at home — kids and parents both have a safe space to talk about deeper topics, grieve harder situations, and bond together.
6. Lazy Sundays
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According to a study from Future Science OA, chronic stress and anxiety can have adverse effects on a person's physical and mental wellness, especially when they're not consistently carving space for rest and relaxation. By adopting one "lazy day" a week, individuals can learn to combat these consequences, resting their bodies and minds in a way that's required for their general wellbeing to thrive.
By making a "lazy day" or "lazy Sunday" a tradition at home from an early age, parents can teach their kids about the importance of resting, actively combating societal stigmas of rest and relaxation that tend to inadvertently harm young adults.
Even if it's just a family rule that everyone comes home for family time on Sundays, parents can bond with their children without doing anything at all, investing in restful quality time that helps everyone feel more balanced, heard, and relaxed.
7. Sharing hobbies together
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Feeling heard and valued is fundamental to any relationship, family or not, according to a PLOS One study, but the ways families cultivate those important feelings can look different depending on the household. One way to spark feelings of mutual understanding is by sharing hobbies together.
Whether it's reading a book your kid loves, going on a hike together, or watching a TV show your parents can't get enough of, sharing hobbies as a family is one of the sentimental traditions that keep families bonded for life. You get a glimpse into each other's world. Everyone gets to understand their family members better when they invest time into their interests, hobbies, and passions.
8. Making a meal together
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Food is inherently emotional, whether it's cooking, eating, or sharing a meal with someone. By crafting a sentimental tradition around making a meal or eating together, families not only strengthen their bonds, but craft a healthier relationship around food in their household, combating common disordered eating habits and anxiety.
Especially when children leave the home or family dynamics shift into adulthood, these memories can keep families bonded for life. When adult children make their own meals, the nostalgia of this sentimental tradition lives on.
Similarly, a specific meal may provide solace to a grieving parent experiencing the natural disconnect of their adult children leaving home, keeping them bonded and connected even when there's physical space.
9. Writing notes to each other
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Of course, writing notes in your child's lunchbox or sending a letter home from college can be a therapeutic daily ritual for many families, but having those memories and even keepsakes hold power in keeping families bonded for life.
As one of the sentimental traditions that keep families bonded for life, the notes that children or parents decide to save can be emotionally grounding amid hardship, sparking nostalgia and manifesting as something tangible to lean on when you're missing home, your family members, or childhood.
10. Annual vacations
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According to experts from the American Psychological Association, taking a vacation isn't just a way for families to bond with each other and create important memories, it can also boost psychological health in the present moment. By having something to look forward to, everyone is able to better manage the stressors and anxieties of everyday life.
While it's not always feasible to travel as a family or plan an extravagant vacation, making memories and having something to look forward to can be a priority regardless of your social or financial situation. Take a local trip once a year, plan a "staycation," or even plan a family date night where everyone gets together and picks an activity.
There are a number of ways to create traditions, but the most important part is crafting intentional quality time. Whether you're getting on a plane or sharing hobbies with one another, quality time is the key to nurturing familial bonds that last a lifetime.
11. Volunteering together
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According to psychotherapist Angela Thoreson, LICSW, making the intentional decision to help people by volunteering your time has a number of benefits like reducing stress, increasing positive thoughts, and even assisting people in building community and experiencing a sense of belonging.
By engaging in this shared activity as a family, parents and children can strengthen their existing bonds while also building new ones, serving their community, and leveraging the psychological benefits of helping others in need.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.