Do you wish your family was closer and got along better? I'm sure that is the wish of most of us. The answer, while not easy, is pretty simple. You can use these 2 Simple Practices for Building Strong Family Relationships to help you create the kind of relationships you want in your family!
Relationships are hard. I'm always looking for tips to improve the most important relationships in my life because I don't know about you, but I could use every bit of help I can get.
I am not going to say anything ground breaking. I just think we need reminders that these relationships need to be nurtured. And these tips are not hard at all!
1. Communicate with your family members
Spouse
Remember when you and your husband were dating, you used to spend hours talking? When is the last time you did that?
I know you talk everyday. You tell him what the kids are doing and he tells you about his day at work. But have you talked about your goals, your dreams, and the things that are important to you?
Honestly, when was the last time you even had an uninterrupted conversation?
In order to have a good relationship, you and your spouse need to talk. Plan a date night soon (even if you don't leave the house) and use that time to talk to one another.
Conversation starting questions are perfect if you're not sure where to start! I have a ton on my Pinterest Relationship board.
The more time you spend talking to and being with your spouse, the more solid your relationship will be!
Kids
Ask your children to answer 1-2 of the following questions
- Where do you go every day after school?
- Who are you hanging out with?
- What things are bothering you?
- What is important to you?
- Are there any situations, friends, teachers, school subjects that you are struggling with?
- How is school going?
- How are your grades?
- What are you interested in?
We all have tons of room for improvement in this area. We as parents, seriously, have to step up. We have to put our own personal issues aside and pay attention to what our kids are doing. Depression is rampant in our children. The youth suicide rate is staggering. Teens are experiencing so many changes in their emotions, and in their bodies and feel all alone. They compare themselves to what
they see on social media. They do not have the tools to know how to put that into perspective. Add in pressure from academics, sports, family, etc and they are struggling.
If they don't have parents on their side, willing to listen, to ask questions, and get to know them, they don't know how to process everything they experience and feel!
Kids need someone in their corner,helping them to navigate this crazy world!
2. Love is spelled T - I - M - E
To have good relationships, you have to spend time together. That's it.
Support one another in activities.
In our family, all of us go to football games, swim meets, and basketball games as much as possible to watch each other.
Attend church together on Sunday.
Sitting together and worshiping together, gives our relationships strong roots. When my kids were small, every Sunday I wondered what I was doing at church! My kids didn't listen or even sit still
and I was grumpy from fighting them. But we kept at it and worked through the struggles because
of how important it is to have that shared foundation.
Eat dinner together, at the dinner table, as often as possible.
I know we are all busy. We all have evenings that dinner together is impossible. But I know if families will make dinner together a priority, it will improve relationships. There's something special about gathering together at the end of the day as a family.
In our family, we go around the table every night and say our high's and lows of the day. It gives me so much information into my kids' day and the things that are bothering them.
Do activities as a family.
Play games together- laugh and enjoy each other. Occasionally go out and do something you all enjoy- such as mini golf or bowling. Go for walks or hikes. Go on date nights.
Whatever your interests are- just spend time together.
In our busy day to day lives, our relationships can take a back seat. We are so busy working, building our business, car pooling, child rearing, sports playing and watching, that we don't put enough effort into our families. We can easily take our relationships for granted.
For anything to be good, it takes effort. If you want your relationships to be strong you have to make them a priority!
The 2 Simple Practices for Building Strong Family Relationships: Communicating and and Spending Time Together really are not difficult to do!
So as I set goals at the start of the new year, I am going to prioritize the time in my day so that I can work on strengthening my relationships with my husband and with my children!
