Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Pull up a King Size Bed...It's Family Time!

Something must be wrong with me. I've been in a really good mood for more than 24 hours now. I had a really productive work day. I've been enjoying my children (!). I've even done some Christmas shopping and listened to holiday music on the radio. Heck, I actually watched a sappy Hallmark movie on television. I don't know what it is, but I'll run with it. If you want to enjoy my company while I'm in this pleasant state, you should probably visit within the next couple days, just to be on the safe side. No saying how long it will last. But my jolly good mood isn't what I planned to write about today. Today's topic is the family bed.

This is not a picture of my family. This is for demonstration purposes only.
The family bed is an important spot, and not just cause that's where the babies are made. The family bed also happens to be a prime location for family bonding. I know this from childhood experience, and I'm pleased to say that history is repeating itself.

When I was kid, mom and dad's king size bed was the place to be. On the weekends, when my parents stayed in bed longer than usual, my sister and I would jump in with them. We'd talk, laugh, watch television, or just snuggle. And though you might assume that one would outgrow hanging out in bed with mom and dad, we never did. Home from college, those pillow talks meant more than ever. And just last week when my sister visited from Colorado with her son William, my mom reported that the family bed had been extended to another generation.

Without prompting or encouragement on my part, my children have also discovered the family bed. While I'm sure that the television is part of the appeal and I recognize that pre-bedtime visits are often merely a stalling technique, I also know that much of our laughter, conversation, and "I love you's" seem to happen in mom and dad's bed. I pray that the teenage years won't dampen the kids' enthusiasm for pulling up a pillow to giggle and chat.

Is the family bed a Shimer thing or do you have one too? Is there another special spot that seems to bring mom, dad, and kids together for that all-important bonding time? Share with us!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kim you are right the family bed is a great place to gather. My kids are 22, 20 and 18 and we still gather in our king size bed once in a while to laugh, talk, cry or just act silly sometimes it is late at night or mid morning but they are really enjoyable times. I hope these times last forever also. It is nice to hear that the next generation is open to these special shared moments.

Rebecca Irwin-Diehl said...

It happens less often now that our boys are 8, 10, and 12 (and our bed is only a queen size), but yes, those mornings when we all pile on (or when just 3 or 4 of us are there) make for some great conversations and good laughs. But I must note: I favor family beds ONLY when everyone is awake! :-)