It’s not easy having a family. But, of course, no one said that it would be easy; they just said that it would be worth it. And who could disagree with that? At the core of it, we all want our families to be happy and fulfilled. And by that, we don’t just mean our children — we mean everyone in our clan, including our parents.
There is no one to guarantee happiness and fulfillment. If there was, they’d have bottled it up a long time ago. However, there are things you can do that’ll make it more likely. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what those things are.
Take all of the tips on board, and you’ll likely notice that your tribe is a happy one. Perfect!
Individual Needs
The family unit is more important than individual needs. However, that doesn’t mean that the individual should be forgotten entirely. There are threads that unite all members of the clan, but everyone’s different, too. As such, it’s always a good idea to ensure that everyone’s individual needs are being met. Some people will need some things more than others; some need more space, for instance. You’ll probably have a good sense of what everyone on your team needs. If someone needs a quiet place to read, for instance, you can ask yourself: do they have that place?
Spend Time Together
We’re all a lot busier than we’d like to be. Did you know that parents spend less time with their children today than they did in days gone by? It’s true; that’s not because parents don’t want to, but because of the long list of responsibilities that we all have. However, with all that being said, it’s important that we take time to ensure that the family can spend quality time together. It could be a Friday night movie night, or breakfast every day, or anything else. There’s nothing more important for children to know than that they have a solid tribe to call their own. And that’s what time together can do.
Talk It Out
We all go through difficult times. Sometimes, there’s not even a catalyst; we’re just sad or anxious. When a person goes through that experience, it can be impossible to feel happiness and fulfillment. Sometimes, there’s nothing that will cure those feelings. But talking about them will help. It’s vital to make space for people in your clan to chat about their feelings. That can be enough to prevent small issues from becoming big problems — and especially if you’re able to help directly with the issue.
There’s another reason to have a climate of open communication and dialogue, too. It can help resolve tensions between family members. Try as you might, this will always happen. There’s not a family in the world that doesn’t argue from time to time. Communication is the key to resolving these problems. If not, then resentment and anger can just build, and where does that ever lead?
Healthy Routines
A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. And plus, a family that exercises together will learn a whole lot of positive lessons. It’s easy to fall into the habit of just staying indoors, especially in an age when we all have screens glued to our faces. But there’s power in taking the time to exercise. It could be anything: running, team sports, hiking, whatever you’re most drawn to. You’ll do this on a casual basis, of course, but you might just find that someone in your family finds a passion that they really love. And when that happens, they’ll be on the path towards fulfillment.
Handling Issues
Does a member of your family have an issue? Mobilize. Knowing that people have your back and will help you in times of strife is one of the most powerful things we can know. There are many people who don’t have those things, after all. Of course, you’ll likely know if one of your younger kids is having an issue. But for older children, this might not be the case. If they’re struggling with something, help them out. There’s nearly always something you can do!
Healthcare Matters
It’s inevitable that people in your family will get sick from time to time. The trick is to make sure that those illnesses aren’t as bad as they could be. This starts, of course, with prevention. A healthy approach to life is the best way to keep your body in tip-top condition. From there? It’s about ensuring that they have access to healthcare when they want. Go over your health insurance plan: is the coverage as extensive as you need it to be? For your parents, take a look at the Medicare basics. That’ll ensure that they have coverage once they’re of retirement age.
Judgment-Free Zones
The world can be tough and cruel. Your home? That should be a safe space. Your kids and everyone else in your clan will receive negativity from the external world. When they’re at home, they should know that they can always talk to you about whatever’s going on.
Go Into the Outdoors
The outdoors can add so much to family life. There’s a lot of power in spending a night camping under the stars, for instance — it feels like you’re reconnecting with the days of old. A hike is a good opportunity for the conversation to flow. Plus, it’s good for both physical and mental wellbeing. So make a habit of going into nature as a clan as often as you can. There are virtually no downsides to it, and there’s a whole lot of goodness that could come your way, too.
Limit Tech Use
Technology and the internet have done a lot of good for the world. But it hasn’t been all good. There are negative aspects to the internet. For instance, did you know that internet use has been linked with rising rates of depression and anxiety in teenagers? Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to eliminate tech use in your family entirely, nor should you want to. But it’s worthwhile looking at how much time everyone is spending staring at their devices. You can miss a lot when you’re just scrolling through Facebook all the time. Try to put aside an hour when the Wifi is switched off. Everyone will survive, and you’ll be giving space for new activities to come to the fore.
Celebrate Milestones and Achievements
Life is hard. We all know that there’ll be plenty of difficult moments coming your way throughout life. That’s why it’s deeply important to celebrate milestones and achievements when they come along. For one thing, if someone achieves something, then they’ve worked hard — and that’s most definitely something that you should honor. Someone did awesome in their exams? Got a job? Scored a winning goal in their soccer competition? Celebrate!
Accept the Imperfections
There’s no such thing as a perfect family. And if anyone tells you that their family is perfect, just ignore them. It’ll be difficult to really feel content with your family if you’re striving for perfection all the time. We’re all imperfect creatures, and when you put a bunch of them in a family tribe, then, of course, there’ll be challenging moments. The only ingredient for success you need to know is love. If you can fill your heart with your love, then you’ll be on the right track toward having a loving family. And that can be an extremely powerful force.
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