We have a family night in most nights unless our eldest sleeps out or has friends to stay. This doesn't mean we do something everynight though as like most people during the week we just don't have the time to do anything great. Life and dancing get in the way - come home make dinners for next day run children dancing or something make tea wash clothes etc etc. Although we try to have tea together most nights.

So a family night to us is to do something nice that isn't just sitting in front of the television, although sometimes we do watch a family film and eat chocolate but then the girls become more interested in the chocolate than the film!

So a nice family night to us (other than watch a film) is a party tea in the room where there is no television, wine for the adults and soft drinks for the girls with chocolates for afters. It would be quite boring for some, we have the food then we just go with whatever takes our mood, sometimes the girls play nicely together and we chat and watch them play. We always have the music on in the background; for us this is a nice chilled out evening with no pressure.

Sometimes we plan more and say we will have a games night (this usually turns stressful but is getting better) which is difficult because of the age gap with 2 girls one aged just 13 the and other just 5. Recently we had a fun night playing 'Pop N Hop' which is a cheap version of frustration - we all got quite competitive about sending someone home etc. We are in the process of teaching the youngest our favourite card game too so once she fully masters it that will a card night fully sorted rather than just the odd game.

The girls favourite family night is coming up to mummy and daddy's bedroom (don't ask me why) so every now and again we try to make this a bit special by having some candles on (out of reach of course) and we connect the play station (yes there is a wii in the eldests bedroom but it wouldn't be the same, if we all went in her room!) I might read a bit, the youngest might play but we will all have a go on the playstation and depending what game we put on it can get a bit rowdy. As it starts to get late my husband might play his guitar to calm things down. If we don't get the playstation out the keyboard might come out and the bongo drums for a bit of music. To us its about being together and sometimes turning the television off.

A family night is about being together and having fun; adults need to forget any problems and just chill and go with the enjoyment of being together