I'm convinced that "family fun" is the glue stick of the family. Of course, one of the drawbacks of family fun is that it's not always fun . . . that is, for the mom and dad. Or maybe I should say that the idea of family fun doesn't always sound fun. In fact, sometimes it sounds inconvenient, messy, or a big pain in the neck.

But here's the key to family fun success: feel the fear and do it anyway. It's really just a matter of doing what you know is important whether it sounds fun or not. For example: January is a good time to go roller-skating. Kids like roller-skating, and for a small fee (watch for specials), your family can go roller-skating. So, even if roller skating sounds like torture, you say, "Hey kids, tonight we're going roller skating as a family."

Your children will laugh, try to knock you down, challenge you to a race, and want to hold your hand during the "couples skate." And to top it all off, you'll all have a great time and your children will remember nights like that forever.

It's really that simple and it works with
. . . bowling
. . . bike rides
. . . pillow fights
. . . movie nights
. . . swimming parties
. . . tea parties
. . . long games of Monopoly
. . . etc.

All you gotta do is . . . grit your teeth, open your mouth, and say, "Tonight, we're going to _________."

Feel the fear and do it anyway!

Todd Wilson, "The Familyman," author of Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe, Help! I'm Married to a Homeschooling Mom, and The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons, is a dad, writer, conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd's humor and gut-honest realness have made him a favorite speaker at homeschool conventions across the country and a guest on Focus on the Family. Todd and his wife Debbie homeschool their eight children in northern Indiana when they're not traveling around the country encouraging moms and dads. You can visit Familyman Ministries at www.familymanweb.com.