Did you know May 15th is considered the International Day of Families or International Family Day? This day is an occasion established by the United Nations in 1993 that raises awareness of issues faced by families around the world. In addition, it celebrates the importance of families and recognizes the different family structures. This year’s theme for 2022 is “Families and Urbanization”.
This day is important as it highlights the importance of families in our communities:
- Role of Family In Society - Although each family is different, families play an important role in our community.
- Families Look Different - When we think of families, each family is unique and different. For example, there are blended families, single-parent families, nuclear families, childless families, extended families and grandparent families, etc. Therefore, this is an opportunity to celebrate our own families.
- An Opportunity to Have Challenging Conversations - Another aspect we consider during this day is the opportunity to have conversations regarding difficult topics. For instance, some families around the world experience poverty, hunger, lack of access to clean water and lack of access to healthcare.
How Do You Celebrate International Day of Families?
- Spend time with your family - go on a community walk, plan a family outing, play a game or read a book together
- To learn more about your family’s history, create a family tree
- Think about what “family” means to you
- Have a conversation with your family and share an appreciation for each other (i.e., "I appreciate it when you…”)
To have a discussion with your child about families, please take a look at our reading list:
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