Top 9 'Parallel-Play-Pausing' Family Rituals to introduce for a more connected household in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Picture this: It's 7:30 PM on a Tuesday. You're on the sofa scrolling through work emails. Your partner is next to you, watching a cooking show on their tablet with headphones in. Your eldest is in the armchair, deep into a video game, while your youngest is giggling at a YouTube video on their own device. The four of you are in the same room, breathing the same air, yet you're worlds apart. Sound familiar? This is the modern family's "parallel play" phase—existing side-by-side, but not truly together.
This isn't a sign of a failing family; it's a symptom of our hyper-connected, over-scheduled world. We crave downtime, and technology offers an easy escape. But over time, this quiet drifting can erode the deep, meaningful bonds that make a house a home. The good news? Reclaiming that connection doesn't require a dramatic overhaul or a week-long digital detox retreat. It's about intentionally pressing "pause" on the parallel play.
As we look ahead to 2025, let's make it the year of connection. It’s about weaving small, consistent, and joyful rituals into the fabric of your family life. These aren't chores to be added to your to-do list; they are anchors in a busy week, creating shared memories and strengthening the invisible threads that tie you together. Here are nine powerful, yet simple, "parallel-play-pausing" rituals to get you started.
1. The 'High, Low, Buffalo' Dinner Check-in
This is a classic for a reason. It’s a simple, structured way to transform a routine meal into a moment of genuine sharing. Instead of the dreaded, "How was your day?" which often gets a one-word answer ("Fine."), this ritual invites real stories.
The rules are simple. Each person around the table shares their "High" (the best part of their day), their "Low" (the most challenging part of their day), and their "Buffalo" (a random, weird, or funny thing that happened). The "Buffalo" is the magic ingredient; it encourages silliness, sparks unexpected conversations, and often reveals the most about your child's inner world. You might hear about a funny-shaped cloud, a weird dream they had, or a joke a friend told at recess.
To make it work, model it yourself. Be vulnerable with your own "lows" and enthusiastic about your "highs." This shows your kids that it's a safe space to share all facets of their day, not just the highlight reel. This simple practice builds emotional vocabulary and empathy, teaching everyone in the family how to truly listen and respond to one another.
2. The Weekly 'Tech-Free Adventure Hour'
Pick one hour, on one evening of the week, and declare it a "Tech-Free Adventure Hour." This isn't a punishment; it's an invitation. All screens—phones, tablets, TVs, gaming consoles—go into a designated basket. The key is to have a plan for what you'll do instead.
The "adventure" can be simple. Maybe it's a classic board game showdown (Uno and Exploding Kittens are great for all ages). Perhaps you work together on a giant jigsaw puzzle laid out on the coffee table all week. You could even have a "Family DJ" session where each person gets to pick a song and you have a living room dance party.
The goal is to replace passive, individual entertainment with active, collaborative fun. You'll be amazed at the conversations that bubble up when you're not distracted by notifications. The first few times might feel a bit awkward, but soon enough, your family will look forward to this protected time of pure, old-fashioned connection.
3. The 'One-on-One Date' Rotation
While family time is crucial, so is individual connection. In the hustle of daily life, it's easy for interactions with our kids to become purely logistical: "Did you do your homework?" "Don't forget your soccer cleats!" A dedicated "one-on-one date" cuts through the noise and reminds your child they are seen and valued as an individual.
Set up a rotating schedule where each parent takes one child on a special outing. This doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate. The currency here is undivided attention. It could be a 30-minute walk to get a hot chocolate, a trip to the library to pick out books together, shooting hoops at the park, or visiting a hardware store to pick out supplies for a small project.
During this time, let the child lead the conversation. Ask open-ended questions. Put your phone on silent and in your pocket. This ritual is incredibly powerful for building trust and keeping the lines of communication open, especially as kids head into the tween and teen years.
4. The 'MasterChef: Family Edition' Night
Turn meal preparation from a chore into a highlight of the month. Once a month, plan a "MasterChef: Family Edition" night where everyone is involved in making a special dinner.
You can make it a themed event. Is it Taco Tuesday? Pizza Friday? Or maybe you're feeling adventurous and trying to make sushi or dumplings for the first time. Assign roles based on age and ability: a younger child can be the "Chief Stirrer" or "Official Vegetable Washer," while an older one can be the "Sous Chef" in charge of chopping or measuring.
Put on some music, embrace the mess, and focus on the process, not perfection. Cooking together teaches valuable life skills, encourages teamwork, and often gets picky eaters more interested in trying new foods. The shared sense of accomplishment when you all sit down to eat something you created together is a powerful bonding agent.
5. The 'Golden Hour' Stroll
Neuroscience shows that walking side-by-side encourages less confrontational and more open conversation. The "Golden Hour" Stroll leverages this. It’s a short, 15-to-20-minute walk around the neighbourhood, either right after dinner or just before bed.
The only rule: no phones. This isn't about getting exercise; it's about downshifting together. It’s a time to talk about the day, notice the changing seasons, say hello to neighbours, and simply enjoy each other's quiet company.
This ritual is particularly effective for decompressing after a stressful day. The gentle movement helps burn off restless energy (especially in younger kids) and the fresh air can clear everyone's heads, setting the stage for a more peaceful evening and better sleep.
6. The 'Memory Jar' Tradition
This is a beautiful, year-long ritual that culminates in a powerful moment of reflection. On January 1st (or whenever you decide to start), place an empty jar in a central location, along with a pad of small paper and a pen.
Throughout the year, whenever something wonderful, funny, or memorable happens, anyone in the family can write it down, date it, and pop it into the jar. It could be a big thing, like a successful school play, or a small moment—"Dad told a really funny joke at breakfast," or "We saw a double rainbow on the way to school."
Then, on New Year's Eve, or another special day, you sit down as a family, empty the jar, and take turns reading the memories aloud. It’s a tangible collection of your family's joy, a reminder of the good times that can often get lost in the day-to-day grind. It beautifully illustrates how small moments accumulate to create a happy life.
7. The 'Read-Aloud Revival'
In a world of visual media, the shared act of listening to a story is a lost art. Revive it. Pick a compelling chapter book that's slightly above your youngest child's independent reading level but engaging for everyone (the Harry Potter series, The Chronicles of Narnia, or Roald Dahl's books are fantastic starting points).
Commit to reading one chapter—or even just 10-15 minutes—aloud each night before bed. Snuggle up on the sofa or a parent's bed. Use funny voices for the characters. Pause to ask questions like, "What do you think will happen next?"
This ritual creates a shared world and a common language within your family. It builds vocabulary, improves listening skills, and sparks imagination in a way that screen time simply can't. You're not just reading a book; you're creating a cozy, magical experience that your children will cherish for years. As a parenting expert, Goh Ling Yong often speaks about the profound impact of these simple, screen-free moments on a child's development and the parent-child bond.
8. The Five-Minute 'Gratitude Circle'
End the day on a positive note. Just before the kids go to their rooms for bed, gather for a quick "Gratitude Circle." It can be in the living room, in a hallway, or at the foot of someone's bed.
The format is as simple as it sounds: each person shares one specific thing they were grateful for that day. Encourage specificity. Instead of "I'm grateful for my family," try "I'm grateful that Mom packed my favourite snack in my lunch today," or "I'm grateful that my brother helped me with my math homework."
This practice, which takes less than five minutes, rewires the brain to look for the positive. It fosters resilience, reduces entitlement, and nurtures a culture of appreciation within your home. It's a small habit with an enormous impact on your family's overall happiness and outlook.
9. Scheduled 'Do-Nothing' Time
This might sound counter-intuitive in a post about doing things together, but it is perhaps the most radical ritual of all. In our quest to avoid boredom, we've over-scheduled our lives and our children's lives. We've forgotten how to simply be together.
Schedule 30-45 minutes on a weekend afternoon for "Do-Nothing" time. This isn't screen time. It’s unstructured time in a shared space. Maybe you all lie on the floor and listen to a record. Maybe you look through old photo albums. Maybe you just sit on the porch and watch the world go by.
The point is to have no agenda. It’s in these quiet, in-between moments that spontaneous conversations, silly jokes, and genuine connection emerge. It teaches your family that your value to one another isn't based on what you are doing, but simply on who you are. It’s the ultimate pause on the relentless pace of modern life.
Your Connected Household Awaits
Building a more connected family isn't about grand gestures; it's about the steady rhythm of small, intentional rituals. It’s about choosing presence over distraction, one small moment at a time. The powerful thing is that these rituals have a compounding effect—the more you practice them, the more natural they become, and the stronger your family bond grows.
Don't feel pressured to implement all nine of these at once. That would be overwhelming! Instead, pick one or two that resonate most with your family's personality and schedule. Try one this week. See how it feels. Let it be fun, not forced. As 2025 unfolds, you can slowly weave in more, creating a rich tapestry of shared experiences that will serve as the foundation of your family's story.
What's one ritual you're excited to introduce to your family? Share your choice or your own favourite family tradition in the comments below
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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