I believe that family is the most important thing because in so many ways they shape you into the person that you are or have grown to be. Unfortunately though, families are busy these days. Each member of the family has their own schedules that are filled with work, school, sporting activities, clubs and organizations, and various appointments.
The world revolves around the idea that people have to consistently produce something in order to serve their purpose as individuals. This is great for the enhancements of money, job ranking, and production of material, but thinking this way is not so great for the bond of a family.
If you only make time with your family to discuss responsibilities, like picking the right family car insurance plans, then you are probably too consumed with that idea of productivity. Prioritizing your family is just as productive as getting that promotion at work or perfecting your shot on the court.
And your family is, in most cases, more important than anything else.
People tend to realize they have not been prioritizing their family, only after things are in shambles. Luckily, repairing and strengthening your family relationships can be a fun, although challenging process.
Through family outings, therapy sessions for the entire family, and accepting advice from others, you can strengthen your family’s relationship to make it better than it has been before.
Counseling in Southeastern Connecticut offers many options for families to strengthen their relationships. From marriage counseling in Mystic, Connecticut to anxiety counseling in East Lyme, CT, there is therapy for every family, no matter what the issue is.
Correcting the Head(s) of the Family
Ask yourself this: “Would I ever take business advice from someone who has never run a business?”
Your answer to that question may be “Heck no!” which is understandable. One common fact of life that many understand is that a team is only as great as their coach. This concept also applies to the functionality of a family. If the head of the family — the parents — do not have things together then everything and everyone else will be in chaos.
Once you realize that your family needs to be strengthened, prioritize strengthening your relationship with whoever else is also the head of the family. For married individuals, there is high conflict couples therapy that you can partake in if necessary.
Couple therapy is also an option for individuals that are merely co-parenting and have no intention on getting back together. Therapy is simply a place where individuals can learn the tools to effectively and respectfully communicate with each other.
Regardless of whether those over the house are together or not, good communication and cooperation is needed for fair decisions to be made regarding the whole family.
Once those who are leading a family learn to respect each other and to work together well, they can start picking up good habits to exemplify to those following their lead. Those habits include being kind to one another, listening to each other attentively, and acknowledging feelings (especially hurt ones).
Create a Family Mission Statement
This point may seem weird at first glance, but it is a point that can pull someone on the verge of breaking back to reality. A mission statement is a short and creative summary that focuses on the values of an organization. In this instance, the organization would be your family.
Growing up I was always told to “not say something if I do not have anything nice to say.” This is not much of a mission statement, but it was a statement that held value and kept me out of trouble.
I have an extremely smart mouth, and I have avoided many situations that could have easily turned disastrous by merely keeping my mouth shut. I have avoided tickets, physical altercations, grounding, being fired, and multiple other things because of this statement.
So when you think of your family, what values do you want them to carry with them through life? What is something that you can instill into the foundation of family relationships? What is something that can keep your family intact as a whole when the going gets tough?
You do not have to instill your mission statement into just one idea. Your mission statement can be various sentences that you use to speak life and positivity into every individual in your family.
Even as time passes by, the statements you consistently pour over your family will stay with them.
Spend Time Together as a Whole Family
Gathering together as a family is not only a good way to grow closer, it is also a good way to reconnect with estranged daughters and sons. Outside of reconnecting and reconciling with your estranged family, you can gather together often to simply avoid your family’s bond fading away.
Here are some things you can do as a family:
- Volunteer together so you and your family can grasp a better sense of gratitude. Helping others allows you to see how good you have it, and it is an amazing way to build relationships between your community and your family. Lending a helping hand benefits those in need and keeps you all centered and grateful.
- Have family meetings as often as every week, if possible. In the meetings, you can address any unsolved issues, check in on each person, and inquire about ways each person can help the others live happily.
- Have family date nights as a fun way to bond and enjoy one another’s presence. These outings do not have to always be at night and can happen at any time during the day. Some good things to try are going out to eat, bowling, and arcades. You could even go for a family walk or bike ride.
Provide Support for Family Members
One of the most beneficial ways you can provide support for your family is by participating in family therapy sessions with a professional. Through therapy you can learn to manage anger outbursts in children or even how to get along with a sibling that has a complete opposite personality and outlook than you.
You can also provide support by encouraging your family members more than you criticize them. Constructive criticism and criticism are two different things. You can provide feedback that is encouraging and supportive without leaving someone feeling defeated. Through counseling, your therapists can show you ways to better provide feedback.
Ultimately, you never want to put too much pressure or unrealistic expectations on any family members because this can cause them to pull away, creating a disconnect which ultimately damages the family bond.
Imani Francies writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media and specializes in various forms of media marketing.
