Corner High School family and consumer science students in Sue Ann McKnight’s classes have written articles about strong families.

Ali Baker

The time teenagers spend with family is very important. It seems this generation of kids doesn’t spend as much time with family as years before. As a child gets older it is harder to find time for everyone to get together with the family as years before.  

When you are a kid you don’t realize how important it is to do activities with your family. Parents just have to make time to do activities with their children. Family time is important because it allows family members feel loved and secure.

It also helps kids and parents to gain trust with one other. Camping, bowling and going to the movies are a few fun things you can do together as a family.

Austin Williamson

Family is the only thing you can rely on in a tough situation. And family is something you can trust with anything and have them when you have nothing else. Also, in bad situations people in your family could give you advice to help you get out of it. Another reason family is important is that family givse people a sense of security.

Brett Usrey

We all know what a family is and most of us are lucky enough to have our own. However do we really show our appreciation for what they do? Most people have a family that loves and supports them constantly. However, doing some chores around the house and showing some care can go a long way in strengthening your family relationships. Doing some work around the house can take the weight off your parents’ shoulders and allow them to concentrate on more important things. Like what you’re having for dinner tonight.

    

Brianna Lichtenauer

Family is the most important thing to me. They are my own support system. Everybody thinks friends are more important, but they are not. Friends are great, but they will come and go. Family is always there.

My family and I have very busy lives so we value our time together. We always try to have dinner together and tell each other about our day. This is a great way to bond and stay connected.

I love my family and wouldn’t trade them for anything. I hope you value your family as I do because you’ll never get another one.

    

Brittany Jackson

Spending time with your family can create a stronger bond. It is important to communicate with your family, so that you can understand them. There are many types of activities to do with your family, such as watching movies, exercising, playing games, having dinner together, and etc.

It has been known that spending time together can help you to become stress free. Communication is a keyword to help you create a stronger bond.

Brooke Stovers

Spending time with your family is very important. It helps you learn more about each other and have lots of fun. Spending time with your family is a great way to build your family.

Eating together is really important, because it helps you in school, and even makes you feel like you are important. There are many ways to spend time with your family like going bowling, skating, to the movies, going camping, even just playing basketball, swimming, etc. in your back yard. It’s not hard to be together with your family, you just have to want to.

Spending time with your family is also important because they may not always be there; you know things happen. The easiest way to be together is by eating together in the kitchen, dining room, wherever as long as you are together. Family will always be there no matter what.

    

Christy Vinson

Your family might be home, but are they even in the same room together? Or have they talked to each other that day? It seems like busy schedules and new technology have taken over our family time. We don’t even know the people we live with. If we care about our family it is worth fighting the time to spend together.

    

Desiree Robbins

When a student comes home from school they typically plop down on the couch with a remote or they go straight to their room to sign onto the internet. This very thing is what tears families apart. Before we had all this modern-day technology, families would spend quality time together, for the most part.

Now a days, even if you eat dinner together you don’t interact with each other because the television is on or your busy texting, checking your email, or trying to follow Twitter on your cell phone to even realize that other people are around.

Lifestyles like this can ruin somebody in so many ways. Because a family doesn’t spend time together it might cause teenagers to alienate themselves from all other people. When teenagers alienate themselves from others it’s normally because they have low self-esteem. But, every so often, if they are alienating themselves there is something else they are doing that they won’t tell anybody about, whether it is drugs or harming themselves in some form or fashion.

Another problem that could occur is that the teenager starts to think that nobody cares about them or about what they do because their family doesn’t encourage or show their support in their hobbies or activities. This causes the student to start to lack interest and eventually the student will quit his favorite activities. Once the student quits, their grades will start to drop because they no longer are doing the thing that they loved the most and have nothing to do and this causes them to be unhappy. Their attitudes will also change and this will start to push away their friends and family they care most about and at this point the cycle starts all over again.

The devastating thing is that this stuff happens all the time, everywhere you go and nobody ever realizes it until it is normally too late. All these problems can be prevented through just by spending time together as a family and showing your love, support, and devotion toward each other.

There is also more to do as a family than eating dinner as a family. You could go to church, maybe do a little shopping, or just go for a quick walk. So next time, before you turn on the television, ask yourself,” Is there something I could be doing with my family instead?” Always remember your family will be there for you no matter what you need them for and that they always will love you no matter what you do.

Devin Smith    

What people don’t realize is the importance of spending time with your family nowadays. The world revolves around money when really it is the root of all evil. It is important to spend time with your family so you won’t lose touch with them in the future.

I wish I had known that a long time ago. I have a big family that used to be close. My great-great-grandmother is what kept our family together for so long. We used to have get-togethers and parties for the holidays. I remember running around with my cousins and playing silly games as a little kid.

Slowly, fighting and racism began to tear us apart. Then after my great-great-grandmother died, everyone cut ties completely. I know that great-great-grandmother would be disappointed. I wish we could spend more time together, I wish we were closer.

Don’t make the same mistake we did, spend more time spend time with your family. Some days I get so depressed, I don’t even feel a purpose for living, but when our family gets together and has a great time, I don’t want the day to end ever.

DJ Watson

Family should spend more time together because it helps the family build a better relationship with each other. Plus when you spend a lot of time with your family the kids that go to school make better grades. Families that spend a lot of time together will get along better, and do more stuff. They will be nicer, and respect each other while having a better relationship.

    

Grant Mason

Time spent with family is something that America is lacking. In the last few years our country’s families are not taking advantage of time together. Some families don’t even eat dinner together.  tudies show that families who eat dinner together, have a more successful family, and the children make better grades. If everyone spends more time with their family our world would be in better shape

    

Hailey Pate

On Saturday night the Pates had a game night. My mom, dad, brother and I all got together and played Wii. We also ordered pizza. It was an extremely fun night. I believe it would be good for all families to get together and play games and just spend quality time together. It’s good family bonding time.

    

Jessica Jones

There are many different ways to spend time with your family. People do not realize the way to a healthy relationship is spending time together. Some examples can include: going on trips throwing parties, talking to each other about his or her day, going to movies, going hiking, going camping, and parents can just be good listeners for their kids.

It is important to know spending time with your kids can improve their testing skills. You can usually tell people who do not have family relationships tend to go their own ways, which are not always a good thing. Teenagers start hanging with the wrong group of people, ruin their lives with drugs and alcohol, and sometimes end up hurting themselves or having to go to jail. Although some teenagers get help and save their health, end up living a good life. The point is, we all need to figure out a plan to help families have better relationships.

    

Jessica Robbins

Most teenagers don’t make a lot of time with their family, as well as parents, or other members of the family don’t make much time with their teens and kids, but you should. It’s a proven fact that teens that spend more time with their family perform better in the classroom, or maybe somewhere else such as the football field or basketball court.

Spending quality time with your parents is important because growing apart from your family at a young age can only broaden your chances for having no contact with them as you get older. Let’s not forget what life was like before texting, Facebook and Xbox. Your family will always be there as opposed to your boyfriend or girlfriend dumping you, or your best friend stabbing you in the back.

    

Justin Dollar

Family time is very important. You need to spend time together to get to know each other better. If you don’t you will never know how each other feel about you and the rest of the family.

    

Kayla Belcher

To get your family closer, you have to believe that you trust each other and love each other. For instance, I planned a dinner, and we walk three miles. It may not seem much but if you actually follow through with it, you can see your family growing together.

My family argues a lot, but while I was sitting at the kitchen table with my family, we had conversations about school, work, church, etc. We now do this every night. My family also prays together every night at 8 p.m. It helps grow together and get closer to God. I hope this helps with your family.

    

Macy Davis

Families now hardly spend time together. We don’t value the time we really have with each other. We need to open our eyes and see how blessed we are. Family is who is going to be behind you in everything. They will love you until the end.

    

Madison Veitch

It is very important to spend time with your family; without your family, you would be nowhere. They give you so many important values like honesty, compassion, mental strength, and so on. Within the two weeks I have learned the importance of your family.

Spending time with your family could help you with your grades. When you spend time with your family, you need to do stuff you all like doing. It is important to have fun, but also be serious at times when needed, without family; there is no telling where you would be on the streets, in jail, or even dead. So that is my opinion on the importance on spending time with family.

    

Malia Ahrens

What’s so important about family? First you need to ask yourself when you were little and had a bad dream, who did you, run to? When you came home from school crying because your boyfriend or girlfriend dumped you, or when you failed a test who helped you? That’s right — your parents, and no matter how much you mess up or do something bad they still love you.

Kids these days take their parents for granted. I know I do. I expect my parents to hold my hand and walk me through life. When they give me an inch of freedom I take a foot. When they decide to let go of my hand I freak out and get mad, but in the end I eventually understand. I have parents that I can tell anything. Most kids aren’t that lucky they only have their friends to talk to, which often lead to bad habits.

If you have the opportunity to talk with family do it. Once you get used to sharing little stuff with them the big stuff is no big deal. Remember… your parents, grandparents, or aunts and uncles have done this life before. More than likely they can help you through anything. Family is important. It makes teenage life better or any age better.

    

Mallory Busby

The reason it is important to spend time together is so you can catch up. If you and your family don’t spend time then you won’t know what’s happening with one another. Family time gives everyone time to talk and discuss their day. Everyone should spend time with family. Do you?

Patience Spain

In our society today, families don’t spend that much time together. I think that families should try to do it. Ways you can is go on vacation more. You could go fishing and go out for dinner or stay home and eat. Life is really fast for some families but you just need to slow down and talk with your families. Those are the ways you spend time together.

    

Sabrina Dodd

Talking to your parents and spending quality time with them is a great way of expressing your feelings to them. Kids who don’t talk to their parents about what’s going on in life are a lot sadder than the ones that do.

Most kids think that it’s not cool to hang out with your parents, but what’s not cool is not having a relationship with them. Your mom and dad are always going to be for you, your friends aren’t. Having a healthy relationship with your parents can help you have more self-confidence and achieve your goals. So take the time as a teen to build an ever-lasting relationship with your parents.

Samantha Finwall

It is important to spend family time together to keep a happy relationship. In order for families to stay close they need to keep in touch and know what’s going on in each other’s lives. Families these days are separating and breaking away from one another. It’s very important to spend time together because you need the love and support.

    

Shelby Lynn Lance

I’m glad my family took the time to help me carry out my goal of spending quality time together. To have a strong happy family you must be close, spend time together and converse. You really have to use teamwork or your goals won’t be carried out very easily. Team work also helps you to stay close. It’s good to have a close relationship with your family because they will always be there for you and they will always support you.

In family relationships that are healthy you must do and obtain certain qualities. First you must be willing to give up something that only you want to do and find something the whole family will join in on. If it is something everyone wants to do, everyone will be happy and have fun. You also must have good communication skills. You must be honest and open with your family. If you are straight forward with your family everyone can trust everyone.

These are many of the important things family’s should do without family time you don’t know, really and truly, what your family is about and who they are mentally and emotionally. I would like to thank my loving, caring, and friendly mother and father for showing me how to keep a family close and together.

    

Taylor Fields

One way families spend time together is by having dinner together. One parent can take one or two of the kids and go get groceries, while the other parent can stay at home with one or two of the kids at the house and start putting stuff on the stove. They could also set the table for that nights dinner.

    

Taylor Harrison

Family is an important necessity in a teenager’s life.  Family to a teen can mean many things. It can mean staying away from drugs oo sexual activity, and it can also mean him or her staying away from alcohol. Being in a family oriented environment can do a student’s grades up. A teenager needs the security and peace that comes with family.

    

Taylor Wright

The importance of family is to spend more time with them you did before. Many families split up because they are not close. To get close you can do something like playing games, talking, going on a walk, going to the park and a lot of other things. When you do this talk about what you have in common and don’t have in common. Many people think they don’t have anything in common with their family. So do things that your family has in common so you can get close together.

Toni

In my opinion it is very crucial that families spend enough time together to have a strong bond. Your family is the only people that are going to be there with you all of your life. Boyfriends and girlfriends and most friends will vary as life goes on. You should be able to depend on your family, and have a strong relationship between each family member. Families are responsible for supporting you throughout your life. They are there to be depended on. By spending time together as a family a strong family affiliation should be formed and held dear.

Most families struggle from a lack of interest. Statistics show that most teens that run away from home or “hate” their family are teens that are part of a family that does not spend enough quality time together. In order to have a relationship together you must have common interest and must spend time all together.

If there is a case where there are no common interests, which there are, then you can try new things until you come across an activity you altogether enjoy. When you spend time together you learn about each other.  If you live a good life, you influence family members to look up to you and be influenced by your good deeds. You build good character and learn good qualities. Spending time with your family is something that should be cherished and memorable.

The earlier you begin a relationship the easier it will be for you in the future. When your family decides to start their own family and move away, if you bond the more you will keep in touch in the future.

    

Zac Humber

When you spend time with your family your grades come up, and it mostly keeps you from doing drugs and becoming an alcoholic. Spending time with family is good so you can bond and have a good relationship with them.