There is an old saying, when your neighbor loses his job it is a recession, when you lose your job it is a depression. The first thing to remember is that although unemployment is rising around the world most people are still working, so for most people it is still just a recession. It is also important to remember that we have lived through difficult times before and not only survived but flourished, and we will do so again, the human spirit is a remarkable thing. So how does one keep their spirit raised through turbulent times, when nothing but chaos seems to be going on all around? Here are a few simple tips about family that have seemed to work throughout our history, before there were billionaires, computers, ipods, and next generation telephones, their were families.

1:) Family Dinners- The last time I checked spending quality time with your family didn’t cost very much money. The art of conversation around the dinner table, from talking about each others day, to topics such as politics, economy, religion, and sports, all has been lost to recent generations. From the early 1900′s through the 1970′s the family dinner was the cornerstone for most families, their time to bond. In recent years much of that has been lost due to households with two working parents, play dates, soccer practice, business trips etc. etc. We have become a generation where the art of communication has been lost to the most recent electronic gadgets. So, set a certain time each day for the dinner hour at least four times a week, turn off the cable television, take the ipod speakers out of your children’s ears, turn off the video games and talk. Talk about your family, what is going on in their lives, what is going on in the world, you will have a happier family with less stress in these difficult times.

2.) Spend time with your family doing family activities. Ever since the invention of radio families have gathered around to spend family hours together. In the 1930′s the radio provided Jack Benny, Amos n Andy and many other programs where it was not only a must for families to listen too but entire neighborhoods as well, they formed a bond in the community. With the invention of T.V., shows like Milton Berle’s Texaco hour and Sid Caeser’s Show of Shows were events the family planned and looked forward too the entire week. And then came the Ed Sullivan show that ran for twenty three years every Sunday night, and most of America never missed it. If you talk to people of this generation it is still their fondest memories of childhood. Today, you can go to Blockbuster and rent a movie your entire family can see for about three dollars. Plan a night or two a week for family night, rent a movie, play video games, or go retro to games like monopoly or scrabble. There are many forms of free or cheap entertainment that is good for the whole family, and most important you do it together. I think you will find in these trying times these ideas can make a rough ride a little easier.