The most rudimentary definition of a family is: “A basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not” (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/family). However, to me it is more than that; family involves emotion and feeling, a sense of wishing to care for those within the collective, to see those members happy and to help them flourish and thrive. Without this desire, those members of the collective are merely relatives, linked together by nothing more than blood. Moreover, a family shares similar interests, goals and attitudes; they share a common pathway. People often refer to their friends or their work colleagues as being ‘like family’, reflective of the bond between them. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 15th May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families. Although families all over the world have transformed greatly over the past decades in terms of their structure and as a result of global trends and demographic changes, the United Nations still recognises the family as the basic unit of society. The International Day of Families is observed globally amongst all world cultures. Most communities honour the day through public exhibitions and discussions to deliberate on ideas that are relevant to the specific theme of that year. This year the topic is Families and Climate Action, which is most certainly a current topic of discussion globally. In some countries, toolkits are created to help communities organise celebrations targeting different sections of the population such as teenagers, youths, and young adults. During these celebrations, public officials hold seminars and forums to discuss the policies that affect the family. The day also provides a great opportunity for people to spend time in either their nuclear or extended families.

Hiba Nursery has grown to represent one large Shanghai family; it is a family made up of pupils, parents, grandparents, work colleagues and peers. Our family shares a common goal in the journey through early years education. On Wednesday 15th May, we came together to celebrate the International Day of Families at our annual family picnic.

 Taking time to chill, play games, catch up with friends and make memories was the focus of this sunny afternoon in the garden. Togetherness reinforces those qualities of family that we cherish. Sometimes in life, you need little more than that.