Some families, you may have noticed, tend to be a little dysfunctional. Some of them like it this way, have no desire to change, and that’s fine. We’re not here to judge! However, dysfunctional family relationships tend to be much tougher to navigate than a healthy relationship.
If you put the work in now, while your children are young, you can ensure that you have an emotionally healthy family that won’t experience any major issues.
Let’s take a look at a few pointers that can help you out if this is what you want to achieve:
Setting Clear Boundaries
One of the best things you’ll ever teach your children is showing them how to teach other people how to treat them. Healthy families always have clear boundaries on how family members treat other members, so make sure setting clear boundaries is a priority of yours.
The older and more independent your children become, the more opportunities they should have to set boundaries. They won’t be able to do it while they are too young, but this is something you should bear in mind.
Kindness And Compassion
It’s normal to take your family for granted and assume that they are always going to be there, but it’s important to pay attention to one another and be emotionally available for one another.
You should show compassion and empathy, and listen and discuss things when needed. You will show your kids how to do this when they are young more than anything. Remember that most of the time, you are setting an example for how things should be.
Intelligently Expressing Emotions
Really emotionally healthy families actively and consciously learn to practice emotional regulation. It would be a little unrealistic to expect people to have it together 24/7, but even when dealing with difficult situations, you should bear in mind when you are letting your emotions get the better of you.
If you’re dealing with the loss of a loved one, perhaps in a terrible circumstance like some of the wrongful death cases in the news, then of course you will feel out of sorts. However, it’s important you remain self aware, and it’s probably a good idea not to break down and speak to young children about adult things that they won’t understand just yet.
Also, never make statements laced with contempt, verbal or emotional abuse even when you are very upset or angry.
Celebrate Individual Accomplishments and Embrace the Differences
Healthy families do not compete with one another. Competition and rivalry can be considered normal within specific parameters, but it’s not good for siblings if they constantly feel the need to get one up on one another.
Make sure you make the effort to celebrate individual accomplishments and embrace the differences of one another (or at least accept them) for a truly happy family dynamic.
So, is your family emotionally healthy? Hopefully, you have a good idea by now. If you have any other thoughts on what it takes to be an emotionally healthy family, leave your comments below.