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In this article about family time, positive interactions, and brain development, I will provide related information, ideas and support for creating family traditions through games and other fun. At the end I include additional resources. Through a 2005 North Dakota State University (NDSU) article on the development of a child's brain, I read about related myths and facts. The information contained in the article supports the need for communication and connections within families, and consistent childhood brain development.

"The brain's development depends entirely on the genes with which you are born." This is just one of the myths I read on the website, http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf /famsci/fs609w.htm. The truth is,"Early experience and interaction with the environment are most critical in a child's brain development." Playing games, reading, talking and sharing provide ways for families to encourage interactions in natural environments.

Our environment includes the space we have to live, or proxemics, a term designed by Anthropologist D.L. Hall to explain how we use the space, and how it affects those within it. Family members are part of this space. By interacting with them in a natural environment, a child's brain develops. If these interactions are positive and nurturing, the child will most likely grow into a well adjusted individual capable of supporting society in a lawful and just manner. If not, trouble and conflict may occur, causing limitless stress for the individual and the family as well.

Families will spend time together. This is a given considering members share the same space and resources. By playing games, reading, laughing and communicating together, families will see the benefits. They will also be smarter. Keep in mind, how we use time is referred to as clocking, a term explained in Family Communication, Cohesion and Change, 6th Ed., and it is written by Kathleen M. Galvin, Carma L. Bylund and Bernard J. Brommel. They also use a term called synchronization. This loosely refers to maintaining the family's time in an overall and daily fashion.

By taking space, time, interactions and communication into consideration, families have a good base to create strong ties which will impact a child's brain. As stated in the article by NDSU, "The "prime time" for emotional and social development in children is birth to 12 years of age." Games are just one of the ways families can help children develop in healthy manners. Also, studies show television

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