We all prioritize certain routines throughout the week. Church, school events, sports, household chores, and a host of other things. 

In my family, one of our weekly routines begins the moment we get in the car after church on Sunday. Norah, our 6-year-old, type A planner, asks me the same question each and every Sunday morning.

“Dad, can I pour the cheese into the macaroni?”

I’m not kidding, every Sunday. 

You see, we have eaten macaroni every Sunday after church for the past six years. Each kid has a part in the process, and they love it. Campbell, our 8-year-old son, picks out four boxes of Annie’s Mac & Cheese. (We’re fancy, I know.) Our 4-year-old, Kate, pours the noodles into a glass bowl while I heat the water. And, of course, Norah pours the cheese. Every Sunday we each play our parts in making the macaroni. I honestly can’t fathom what else we would eat if given the chance.  

Don’t get me wrong, I still love mac and cheese after all these years. But the best part of the whole process is when we sit down to eat, and my son pulls out a stack of family conversation cards. By now, these cards have been read dozens of times, but we still have  fun dreaming up new answers and trying to outdo one another with fresh ideas.

My wife and I love every second of this routine because it takes a very ordinary occurrence (a regular mac and cheese lunch) and builds anticipation for the kids. They love it so much that they tell people about it at church, a fact that makes my wife fear that we have become the weird family.  

Rhythms of Intentionality

Over the years, my wife and I have become increasingly aware that we must build rhythms of intentional family experiences to engage our kids. For us, the key word here is rhythm. If we don’t think about these experiences often enough or plan for them, they will fall by the wayside. But when we invest the energy to keep them going, we love the results that we’ve seen them produce in our family.  

In January, we embarked on one of our favorite family traditions. Every New Year’s Eve, we gather on the couch and look at photos from the past year. We start in January of the previous year and relive the best moments of the past 12 months.

We watch (and cry with laughter) at the videos and pictures that we’ve accumulated this year. We remember the amazing trips, small moments around the house, and even relive school performances that we captured. It really has become one of our favorite times of the year. And it’s totally free, within the comfort of our own home. 

When you hear the phrase intentional family experiences, you might think of an epic road trip or visiting a museum you’ve passed a dozen times. You might consider family game nights, tossing the football in the front yard, or getting lost together in a tale full of wonder. 

Most of us would agree that intentional family time carries great significance, for both the kids and adults. But it’s difficult to set aside space and time for intentional family investment, not to mention dream up fun and meaningful ways to spend that time together.

At WinShape Camps, we create experiences that transform campers and families with the message of Jesus Christ. We’re here to help.

I’d love for you to join me and my family for one of our newest rhythms, WinShape Family Camp. Each summer, we take time away at camp for intentional spiritual investment, cultivating deeper connection, and having lots of fun. After all, camp is for kids of all ages—including adults.

Bring the whole family (yes, grandma and the cousins can come too!) for life-changing, memory-making, adventure-taking awesomeness. Want to captain a banana boat, zipline as a family, and grow closer to Jesus? Learn more here.

If you’re not ready to load up the minivan for camp just yet, tune into Carpool Conversations, a WinShape Camps podcast that equips parents to have meaningful, Christ-centered conversations with their kids in everyday moments of life.

No matter what, I hope you’ll make it a point to prioritize family experiences and intentional rhythms. Even something as small as macaroni and cheese Sundays can make a deep imprint in the hearts of your children and strengthen your family’s connection. Take advantage of the time you have with your children at home and leverage it for eternal impact.

When he’s not busy heating up water for fancy Sunday macaroni and cheese, Mike McGuire serves as the Manager of Family Camps with WinShape Camps. To keep up with all of the WinShape Camps fun, follow us on Instagram at @winshapecamps.

WinShape Camps was originally founded by S. Truett Cathy in 1985. Fast forward almost 40 years later, WinShape now offers overnight camps in the North Georgia mountains, day camps across the country, and family camp experiences where the whole family can enjoy the summer of a lifetime together.