I love Sunday afternoons. Many people don't really like them since they start to feel the Monday creep, but for me, I find them to be incredibly relaxing. All of the housework was done on Saturday, leaving the docket completely clear on Sunday. These wonderful afternoons are also the perfect time for some much needed family time.
As I've written in the past, I've made the move to keep Sunday as a day of rest, meaning that everything chore that needs to get done on the weekend, I take care of by Saturday evening. If you have kids in school, for them it means getting both chores and homework done by the end of the day on Saturday. Perhaps one of the biggest contributors to the Monday creep on Sunday is that there are loose ends that didn't get tied off. If you must work over the weekend, get it out of the way as soon as you can so that you can clear your head and just focus on relaxation.
Sunday afternoon should be a standing appointment on your whole family's calendar; nothing else should be allowed. If kids want to hang out with their friends or go to a movie, they have Friday night and all day Saturday to do it. Sunday is sacred, not just in a spiritual sense, but also in a family sense. It should be set apart from the other six days for your family to be together.
The way that your family spends Sunday is totally up to you and it should vary widely. Morning will most likely be devoted to Mass and breakfast. No matter how early you get to Mass, you'll still probably find that by time everything with breakfast is over, it'll be near noon. That means that the afternoon is your time for family activity. It should not only vary by week, but also by season. In the spring, summer, and fall, you should do as much in the great outdoors as possible. Go to a park or playground, go on a hike, explore some eco-tourism, play at the beach, float down a river, or any other number of things. In the winter months you may ski or snowboard, but more likely you'll all want to stay inside where it's warm. This is the time to go the movies (or watch one at home), play board games, read together, cook together, or do similar activities together.
The family is the second most important relationship that your children will have in their lifetimes. The only way to grow a relationship is to spend quality time together and Sunday afternoons afford the perfect opportunity for just that. Migrate your family's schedules to a reserved Sunday schedule and enjoy God's day as a day of rest and recreation for your family, free from the burdens and stress of the rest of the week.
Tags: Community
