10 Ways Of Communicating With Family
Ways of communicating with family members about personal experiences and feelings include arranging quality time, dining together, and more.
Effective communication activities are a must to have a healthy relationship. So, here we have explained a list of such ideas.
Communication is an important factor to maintain a good relationship in both personal and professional life. We have seen several family ties broken due to miscommunication.
Before we know other people in this world the members of our household are the ones we know and share our thoughts with. So, healthy communication is important to maintain trust and connection with the members.
Communication doesn't always mean verbal it also includes behavior and body language. When you connect with the people in your household you get to know more about each other and help to understand their perspective.
Do you feel like your family lack in the department of communication? Then follow these 10 ways to communicate with them and strengthen the bond in your household.
1. Arrange Quality Family Time
A good bond with your family members is one of the most important factors for a healthy household.
We have always struggled to balance our professional and personal life due to which we struggle to communicate daily with our people. When we spend less time with our kids, partner or parents they tend to feel neglected.
Don't want your loved ones to feel like they're being neglected then arrange a quality family time. This will help will to bond and increase communication within the household as when you get together you will share thoughts or recall old memories.
Not only by gathering in your living room will help you to bond. Try out different activities such as movie nights or game nights on Fridays or other days that fit the members' schedule.
Plan a weekend like a staycation, picnic, or visit the beach. If your loved ones are not fans of going outside then arrange indoor activities like baking, creating family artwork, and playing card games.
As the days go on your loved ones will look forward to family time.
2. Create One-On-One Time With Each Members
Spending your time as a whole family is important but having one-on-one time with each member also helps in better communication.
There are times when you are comfortable talking about certain things with only some members. This is a normal behavior in every household as we have different types of bonds or connections with different members.
When we create one-on-one time with each member, we learn new things about them. They get to express things that they couldn't during a family gathering.
If you have children, it is important to have one-on-one time with each child as they are different from one another and might not enjoy the activities others like. This may lead the child to become distant.
A one-on-one strategy helps create a deep connection with each member. This one-on-one time doesn't need to be scheduled as it can happen during a car ride or any time of the day.
Try to separate some 10-15 minutes for your loved ones.
3. Make A Habit To Eat Meals Together
One of the good ways to increase communication in your family is by eating meals together.
We all know how busy we get with work, school, and other activities and have no time to eat with our loved ones. It has happened to all of us when we try to eat breakfast together either your parents have work early or you are busy with your schedule.
It is the same with the other meals of the day as well. If weekdays don't work for your household then try weekends since eating meals with your family has several benefits.
When we begin to eat meals together it encourages conversation we tend to talk about our day or any other topic that interests the household.
If the environment on the table is positive then children whose families eat together feel supported, secure and safe, and also helps the kids to learn social skills.
According to a study, eating meals with family is associated with stronger bonds, better family functioning, and better emotional and social health for parents.
4. Be An Active Listener
Have you ever felt annoyed when you're expressing your feelings and the other person is not listening? If yes then you have thought of never sharing anything with the said person again.
A similar case might happen within the family as well. Suppose your child came to you to talk about something that is bugging him/her but you're busy with your work and don't pay any attention to them.
This action creates discouragement to sharing their thoughts and feelings as they get the idea that you don't care. They become distant and try to communicate less with you.
Be more of an active listener and ignore all the distractions when your loved ones come to you to talk. Active listening helps to understand the perspective of the speaker and understand what is important for them.
When you are an active listener it doesn't mean that you only listen to the person you should respond with an open-ended question, and reflective statement and withhold any judgments.
5. Be Connected With The Help Of Technology
Modern days require modern solutions so if you are having trouble talking with your family face to face then use technology to be connected with them.
You have heard numerous times people or even yourself stating that technology has ruined family bonding time. The statement might have some truth in it but as we say a coin has two sides likewise including technology to connect with your loved ones also has a bright side.
Think in this way you are dealing with a problem and you feel a need to vent it out and want some advice from your parents but you are away from home. Instead of thinking what if I was there you can call your parents and be connected with them.
Technology has made it easier to be close to your family you don't have to wait for your siblings to return from abroad and talk with them endlessly they are just a phone or video call away from us.
We can create family group chats to share jokes, memes, memories, and pictures that help to bring your family close.
6. Fight Against The Problem Not Each Other
There is no family in the world that doesn't have any problems.
We have all played the blame game when something wrong happens in the household while doing that we tend to forget that we are one team against the problem.
When a problem arises try to brainstorm solutions together and keep an open mind while tackling it. So when your siblings break your stuff don't explode on each other instead find how you can overcome it with peace.
Playful fights are helpful to bond with your family but when the household becomes a battleground then it might be a problem. If it is impossible to handle the issue then try to consult a therapist for professional help.
7. Be Available
Don't be the person who is not available when your family needs you.
We know we can be busy at times but when your family wants to spend time with us or want to talk with us about something but be there for them. You don't want to make them feel like they're not important to you.
When your child wants to spend some time with you and play some games don't say "sorry honey I don't have time to play with you I'm busy." But when your kid's friend Jill asked his parents the same they compromised and spent some time with him which made him happy and loved.
So, be like Jill's parents. It is not necessary to play with your child right away and be available for them after you've completed your task.
When you're constantly unavailable for your loved ones they tend to rely on someone else. This tends to break the connections and relationships within the household.
When you are available for your family it makes them feel like you notice them and value them in your life and this leads them to express their feelings and spend some quality time.
8. Appreciate And Support Each Other
According to Brent Blaisdell, PsyD family members need to verbally appreciate each other.
When any member of the household has done something good in their personal or professional life then compliment them and appreciate their work. This help to create positive emotions in the relationship among the members.
Show your support as it helps to promote emotionally safe and direct communication with your loved ones. When you showcase appreciation and support they will be more comfortable coming to you with their concerns, achievements, and problems.
9. Don't Make Assumptions About Their Thoughts And Feelings
When we make assumptions regarding family members' thoughts and feelings there is be chance of misconception.
We never know what exactly other people are feeling so instead of assuming their thoughts and feelings ask them about it directly. This helps to prevent any misconceptions, miscommunication, and conflicts.
When the members of the household express their true feelings we get to know the reality of the situation.
10. Tell The Truths
We feel like hiding the truth in order to save our loved ones from being hurt but keeping them in dark is even more hurtful.
Being honest is one of the main factors in healthy communication. When delivering the truth we need to do it gently and with love. There are several topics that are hard to deliver to the family such as divorce and demise.
These types of topics need to discuss with the members with all honesty and truth. When the problems are ignored it becomes worse with time.
When you hide your divorce from your children they believe that their parents are happy and together which leads him/her to live in a false reality.
Not only divorce but any information important to the family being hidden creates a false reality that is even more painful than the truth. With the help of honesty and truth, it builds trust within the household.
