Strengthening Family Relationships: Strategies and Insights

Family relationships are the bonds created among a group of people who share the same DNA. These set of people are related by blood, marriage or adoption. Family relationships can be divided into nuclear family relationship and extended family relationship. In the essay about family relationship I'm going to discuss this topic and ways I find successful to improve the relationship with my family.

Types of Family Relationships and Its Importance

So, nuclear family relationship is the connection you have with your immediate family members. It is the relationship between you and your mum, dad and sibling(s). Extended family relationship is the relationship that exists between you and your distant relatives; uncle, aunt, cousin, nephew, niece and grandparents. Parent-child relationship is the most important of all. It is that love that exists as a biological drive for survival and comfort on the child's part. Family relationships play a profound role in the biological, mental, physical, psychological, emotional and social well-being. There is a saying,

“Every child is a plain sheet. Whatsoever you write on him is what he will become.”

The family is a child’s first contact with humans. Anything he picks or absorbs from there could live with him all his life.

Building Good Relationships

As I was writing about my personal relationship with family essay I thought it would be great to discuss what I found useful for improving the relationship with my closest people. As humans, we are naturally social creatures. We crave friendship and positive interactions, just as we do food and water. The relationships we get involved in affects us in many ways. If our relationships are healthy, we will also be healthy and productive. It takes a whole lot more than attraction, communication and interaction to build friendship. There are several other characteristics that make up good, healthy relationships with family:

• Trust: This is the foundation of every good relationship. When you trust your partner, you form a powerful bond that helps you grow and communicate more effectively. If you trust your friends, you can be open and honest in your thoughts and actions without the fear of being snitched. You don’t have to be keep watching your back every time. Why on earth will you be friends with someone you do not feel safe with? That is self-sabotage if you ask me.
• Mutual Respect: When you respect your friends, you value their principles and personality. You will accept them wholly for who they are without making insulting comments or actions to malign or ridicule them.
• Mindfulness: This means taking responsibility for your words and actions. Those who are mindful are careful and deliberate with what they say or do so it does not hurt their friends negatively.
• Welcoming Diversity: People with good relationships not only accept diverse people and opinions, but they welcome them. For instance, when your friend offers a different opinion from yours, you take the time to consider the validity of their views without getting unnecessarily worked up.
• Open Communication: Communication is the bedrock of every human interaction. We communicate with people every day through the simple exchange of words. The better and more effectively you communicate with those around you, the richer your relationships will be. All good relationships depend on open, honest communication.
• Tolerance: There is no man or woman on the surface of the earth that is completely perfect. We all have our weakness and imperfections. Your friends do and so do you. Make up your mind to tolerate and forgive their little misbehavior and personality flaws. Learn to ignore some insignificant offences. You do not need to fret over everything.

Conclusion

Any good relationship start with good people skills, especially family relationship. You must develop your interpersonal skills. Learn and apply the concept of emotional intelligence when dealing with your parents. Identify your relationship needs. Look at your own relationship needs. Do you know what you need from your family? And do you know what they need from you? Understanding these needs can be instrumental in building better relationships.

Be intentional about building your relationships with the closest people. Devote a portion of your day toward family relationship building, even if it's just 20 minutes. Call to know how your parents are doing. Pay them a surprise visit at their work during lunch hour. Spend some time with them at home. Think of fun things you could do together. These seemingly little things help fasten the bond of your relationship. Be appreciative of their efforts towards building your relationship.