The three-day weekend of Labor Day is one where families often have mini-vacations, hold barbecues in the back yard, or otherwise relax. Some kids who have just started school enjoy their first Monday holiday, while parents can appreciate a day free from work responsibilities.
Beyond just having an extra day to laze around and enjoy good food, though, have you considered taking the Labor Day celebration a bit further with your family? After all, the holiday was established to highlight the contributions of workers in society. This can apply to families, just as much as it does to the professional arena.
How so?
Consider this: How hard does your family work to stick together, even during tough times? As a parent, you may be working hard at your job to provide enough to make ends meet. Kids may be working hard in school in order to keep their grades up. Or maybe they’re even old enough to have started holding down jobs themselves!
This Labor Day, don’t just hold another picnic. Don’t just let the extended weekend slip by and simply sleep in each day. The relaxation and enjoyable times together are certainly worthwhile, but perhaps it’d make the holiday even more valuable if your family took the time to extend gratitude to one another for the various ways you all contribute to it. If kids have been chipping in to chores around the house, make sure they know they’re appreciated!
Not only will these appreciations make that particular member feel better and know their work is validated, but it can go a long way towards encouraging family members to work even hard in the future—because they know their family is behind them, cheering them on! When you’re working together towards common goals, it makes achieving them all the easier.
Plus, when you take the time to sit down and really think about how all your family members “synergize,” it promotes a more long-term awareness of how your family is (individually and as a whole) making life better for one another. That way, even beyond holidays such as this, you’re more likely to notice when someone goes above-and-beyond in helping others through difficult times.