Growing up in a family that lived by the philosophy “work
first, play later,” Saturdays were nearly always reserved for household chores
and yard work. One Saturday morning, however, my siblings and I asked our
parents if we could spend the day together at a local waterpark. Fully
expecting the answer to be no, we were shocked and elated when the answer
turned out to be yes. We all enjoyed this spontaneous activity, and have agreed
since then that it was one of the most cherished family events we can remember.
Why did this simple experience prove to be so unforgettable
for our family? Was it the sheer novelty of the event, or was it due to something
else entirely?
The answer, it turns out, can be traced to a common saying that is both doctrinally and scientifically valid: “Families that play together stay together.” In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”—published 20 years ago by the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—it states that successful marriages and families are built not only upon principles of faith, love, and work (among others), but also on “wholesome recreational activities.”[1] Adding further light to this prophetic statement, a large body of scientific evidence has identified three key reasons why families that play together stay together.
The answer, it turns out, can be traced to a common saying that is both doctrinally and scientifically valid: “Families that play together stay together.” In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”—published 20 years ago by the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—it states that successful marriages and families are built not only upon principles of faith, love, and work (among others), but also on “wholesome recreational activities.”[1] Adding further light to this prophetic statement, a large body of scientific evidence has identified three key reasons why families that play together stay together.
