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The Importance of Family Traditions

Debra Hasbrook, M.Ed.

Debra Hasbrook, M.Ed.

12/3/2014 


Family traditions provide a sense of cultural, community and family identity. Families who share seasonal or timely traditions and rituals gain a sense of who they are as a community, as well as providing a sense of continuity and security in children. Traditions and rituals in the classroom can also do this. These are the memories that support resiliency as children grow and relive the experience. 

We are musical family. For many years each Sunday my siblings and I would bring our young families to visit my parents. Guitars in hand, voices ready we would sit together and sing all the old favorites. My niece wrote a paper about her fondest childhood memory, and this was hers. All the children would gather, listen, and sometimes sing along as we played for my parents. If you ask anyone of these young people they will tell you how precious that time was for them growing up. As my mother became less able to take care of herself, she would recount her own memories of that special time together.

Traditions provide children with an insight into their family’s culture, spirituality, historical identity and world view. This could include something as simple as planting a tree on each child’s first birthday, walking outside together on the first snow, having a special type of food for a celebration. Traditions do not have to be extravagant or complicated. The simpler the better.

A wonderful part of celebrating together are the stories about previous celebrations. Comments such as “Remember when…..?” provide historical continuity and connection. When we share our family tradition stories it defines us and gives the person we are telling an insight into who we are.  The conversation that starts with “Our family always does this ……at this time of the year” reconnects us to our family even if they are far away. What a great gift to give your children or students; memories to support and comfort them as they journey through life.