Req 3g — Social & Family Time
Personal fitness is not just about what you do alone in a gym or on a trail. It is also about the people in your life and the relationships you build with them. Social fitness — the quality of your connections with family and friends — is a powerful contributor to your overall health and well-being.
Why Social Connection Matters for Fitness
Humans are social creatures. We evolved to live in groups, and our bodies and brains are wired to benefit from strong relationships. Research consistently shows that people with strong social connections:
- Have lower rates of anxiety and depression
- Have stronger immune systems
- Recover faster from illness and injury
- Live longer, healthier lives
- Are more likely to maintain healthy habits (including exercise and good nutrition)
On the flip side, loneliness and social isolation are serious health risks. Studies have found that chronic loneliness is as harmful to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. For teens, social disconnection can lead to depression, poor academic performance, and risky behaviors.
Quality Time vs. Screen Time
There is a difference between being in the same room as someone and actually connecting with them. Quality time means being present — engaged, listening, participating — not just physically nearby while everyone stares at their own device.
Examples of quality time include:
- Playing a board game, card game, or sport together
- Cooking a meal as a family
- Going for a walk, hike, or bike ride with friends
- Having a real conversation at dinner (no phones at the table)
- Working on a project together — building something, cleaning up the yard, or volunteering
- Attending a sibling’s game, recital, or event to show support
Contributing to a Good Home Life
This requirement also asks you to think about how you contribute to your household. A “good home life” does not mean a perfect family — every family has challenges. It means a home where people feel safe, supported, and valued.
Here are ways you can actively contribute:
Contributing to Your Home
Small actions that make a big difference
- Do your part with chores: Take responsibility for tasks without being asked. Washing dishes, taking out trash, cleaning your room, and helping with laundry are all contributions.
- Be present at meals: Sit down with your family when you can. Mealtime is one of the best opportunities for connection.
- Communicate respectfully: Disagree without being disrespectful. Listen before you respond. Say “please” and “thank you.”
- Support your siblings: Cheer them on, help with homework, or just be kind. Sibling relationships are some of the longest relationships you will have.
- Show appreciation: Tell the people in your home that you appreciate what they do. A simple “thanks for dinner” or “I appreciate you driving me” goes a long way.
- Manage your own responsibilities: Keeping up with schoolwork, managing your own schedule, and being where you say you will be reduces stress for everyone in the house.
Social Fitness and Scouting
Scouting is one of the best environments for building social fitness. Patrols, troop meetings, campouts, and service projects all give you practice in teamwork, communication, leadership, and conflict resolution. Every time you work with your patrol to plan a meal, navigate a trail, or complete a service project, you are exercising your social fitness muscles.