One afternoon last week, my brother invited me to come to my nephew’s baseball practice, so I decided to take a well-deserved break and spent the afternoon in the park watching a team of ten year olds practicing the nation’s favorite past time.

I listened to my brother as he slipped into the role of coach; it made me think of the awesome responsibility that he and the other coaches had. Not, only were they teaching these impressionable youngsters the fundamentals of the game itself, but they were teaching them the importance of teamwork.

“Teamwork n. Cooperative effort by the members of a group or team to achieve a common goal.”

It is an easy enough concept…together we are stronger than we are as individuals. So, Why not apply the principles of teamwork to our families?

By working together as a team the burden, does not have to lie on just one person, try-letting go of the need to do it all; instead, enlist your family to work as a team. Even the youngest member of your family can do it.

My  son is already doing his share of teamwork. Every morning before breakfast, he hands me our dog’s empty food dish, I fill it and hand it back to him to put it back in its place. Then after the dog gets let in from outside; it’s his job to remind me to give the dog her treat, as he points to the top of the fridge where they are kept and says, “CACK – UR” (cracker). Then I hand him the doggy treat, he give it to her with a “good girl” and a gentle pat.

Families working as a team will not only free up more time because everyone is doing their own part, but it will strengthen your family and leave you more time to enjoy time together without looming worries of what needs to be done. You will also be setting a great example for your children and learning the concept of teamwork is going to be something they will be able to apply to situations throughout their lives.