The post is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.

 

When it comes to finding great activities for some quality family time, planning out movie nights is a great place to start. Not only can they be a great way to reduce stress, but it also provides an opportunity for you all to regularly get together and learn about each other. While families may live in the same house and be in the same vicinity every evening or weekend, it can be difficult for some households to find the best time to communicate. A solution to creating some meaningful time for each other is in scheduling an activity everyone can participate in and enjoy. With the wide variety of movie choices and access to different streaming services, you and your family can create a routine that has a chance to bring in everyone’s tastes. 

Scheduling

The first step to any successful plan is to make sure you have the timing right. Regardless of how big or small your family may be, each person has their own schedule to adhere to. In order to make sure you’re taking into account everyone’s availability, it’s important to try to work out a regular movie night that occurs once a week or once a month with the understanding that flexibility is necessary. 

 

One suggestion is to arrange the movie night earlier in the evening, potentially watching it during dinner or shortly afterward. This helps to ensure you have enough time to get prepared, gather snacks, or even schedule an official intermission (which can be useful for any bathroom breaks!). 

Decisions

A great way to make movie night more successful is to get everyone involved. This not only provides everyone with a chance to share their interests and showcase their developing tastes, but it also prompts a conversation with each other before and after the movie. Whether you set up a rotation for each person to have a turn in choosing the movie or you put a list on the table for a vote, it’s about giving everyone an opportunity to take part in the decision.

One of the most important habits that can help build your family dynamic is to work on communicating with each other openly and honestly. A simple movie decision plan can get your family into the habit of sharing interests with each other, talking about current topics, and discussing changes and adjustments that could make the event more enjoyable for everyone. When it comes to expressing yourself to one another as a family, starting off with seemingly small occasions like this sets the groundwork for more important or challenging discussions in the future. 

Limitations

It’s important to remember that everyone in your household may have different tastes and each should be taken into account as much as possible. For example, if someone is afraid of horror movies but that’s the genre of choice for another family member, compromises may need to be established. When it comes to meeting everyone’s needs, there needs to be a balance between providing everyone an opportunity and maintaining comfort levels. By establishing ground rules, you’re able to discuss with each other how compromises should be made, how alternatives should be selected and any other details, like if movies have a rewatch limit or how many votes are needed for a veto. 

Working Together

Spending time with your family is important to build lasting bonds, establish meaningful connections, and cultivate trust. By regularly participating in activities together, you all have a chance to talk and express yourselves. Having a family movie night is a great way to learn more about each other while also giving everyone an opportunity to make a decision for the group as a whole.