The 3 types of family traditions you need to strengthen your family’s bonds, enrich the life you share together, contribute to your children’s well-being, and create lasting memories.

One enduring childhood memory I have is that of our family's annual tradition of watching the Comrades Marathon together - from mom and dad's bed!

Each year on Comrades Day, from when we were really young, my parents would wake my sister and I up long before sunrise. We would crawl into their bed, eagerly anticipating the start of the "Ultimate Human Race". It was dark outside, cosy under their duvet and I can remember it like it was yesterday.

We would spend the whole morning in their bed, only getting up for the occasional bathroom break or snack. It was the glory days of Bruce Fordyce, and we would squeal in delight as he would come “from nowhere” to win the race yet again.

I share this brief story as a reminder to me and possibly an inspiration to you that intentionally creating family traditions is an important part of being a parent.

Traditions can also be a helpful tool in the discipleship of our children:

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” - Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Meg Cox, author, and traditions expert, suggests we develop three types of traditions:

• Daily Connection Traditions: The things you do every day to re-enforce family identity and values like family dinner at the table, bible reading and prayer or other bedtime or evening routines.

• Weekly Connection Traditions: Like the daily connection tradition but done weekly. This could be a special Saturday morning breakfast, a weekly family game night or attending church together.

• Life Changes Traditions: These are traditions to celebrate big life changes or milestones in your family. These traditions can be something as simple as taking a yearly first day of school picture or something a bit more profound like dedicating a new home to The Lord.

How about you? Do you have family traditions? Are you being intentional about creating them? How might they help you in discipling your children?