It’s the first common denominator of great families: Awesome families are playful. They know how to have fun. They enjoy life together. They know how to play. This is the missing ingredient in so many families today. These days, many families are too busy, too tired, too negative, too worn out, and too serious. Who wants to come home from school to that? Families should be fun.

The Bible talks about this and actually commands it. Ecclesiastes 11:8 says, “People ought to enjoy every day of their lives, no matter how long they live” (NCV).

Why is it important for you to enjoy every day? Because you don’t know how long you’re going to live. You don’t know if you’ve got the next week or the next month. You don’t even know if you’ve got tomorrow. Whatever living you’re going to do, you better do it now.

You can think beyond your biological or adoptive family for this kind of fun too. If you don’t live near your family, learn to have this kind of fun in your church family. Being part of a Sunday School class or small group can give you a great opportunity to find people of all ages with whom you can enjoy life.

When my kids were growing up, I determined that the number one thing I wanted them to know about our family was not that we were good or smart or whatever. I wanted them to know that they were loved and that we had fun together. I created all kinds of things to do just to have fun.

One of them was called Daddy’s Magical Mystery Tour. The kids loved it. It’s a hallowed tradition in our family. Now I do it with our grandkids. When the kids were in preschool and grade school, I’d wake them up and yell, “Get out of bed! It’s time for Daddy’s Magical Mystery Tour!” And they’d get excited because they knew that meant that they didn’t have to go to school and that we were about to do something really fun, whether it was driving to a hotel with a pool or making an ice cream run.

You need to keep this in mind: People don’t remember what you say, but they will remember how you make them feel. That’s important advice for a boss, boyfriend or girlfriend, parent, or spouse.

My kids don’t remember most of what I said in the early years of their lives. But they do remember how Daddy made them feel. They remember that we had a lot of fun.

Awesome families are playful.

“I recommend having fun . . . That way [you] will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives [you]” (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NLT).