I’m a big proponent of the quality over quantity time argument: I think the quality of time you spend with your kids and family is more important than the quantity. When I put my phone away, stop multi-tasking and really engage with my kiddo and my husband, it’s awesome. The key ingredient in quality time is being there mentally, 100% (which is hard to do when I’m endlessly being distracted with incoming work emails on my phone.)

One of the best ways I’ve found to add quality time to our crazy busy hectic life is by setting up family traditions. It really helps to have some regular times and things we do as a family that we can all look forward to and that are non-negotiable. (Well, I’m being idealistic. We’ve skipped many a tradition because of schedules or because we simply forgot or were too tired. But the intention is there.)

Here are a few of our favorite ones:

• Family movie night. Every Friday we eat dinner together and then watch a movie. It’s my favorite part of the week and I look forward to it all day Friday. By the end of the week I’m wiped and I think my husband is too. It’s awesome to know that we have this completely relaxing family chill-out time waiting there for us.

• Sunday morning in-bed Sudoku. Sunday mornings our daughter comes into our room around 8 (yes, she hangs out in her room until then, lucky us!) and plays Sudoku on the iPad while we get to not jump out of bed like we do during the week and sort of all chill out together. It usually turns into a family Sudoku solving situation, which is awesome.

• Living room dance party. We don’t have a regular set time for this but at least a few times a week my daughter and I break out into a crazy dance party in the living room. (Confession: Britney Spears is a frequent guest performer.) Truly the best five minutes of the day when we do this.

What are your favorite family traditions or mini-traditions?

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