How to build strong foundations for your family

Every family is unique, but building strong and well-maintained family relationships will help you face challenges together, no matter what your family circumstances.

Regardless of your family structure, it’s essential that everyone feels safe and secure. Whether you’re a single parent, a blended family or living with stepchildren, all family members need to feel important and loved.

A family unit doesn’t always have to be traditional to work – families come in all different shapes, sizes and cultural backgrounds. For example, grandparents might be the primary caregivers, or foster carers or adoptive parents. Whatever the situation, the foundations of your family relationships need to be secure and well-maintained.

Strong foundations

It might be helpful to think of your family as a house. A sturdy house needs strong foundations and ongoing maintenance or, over time, it will begin to crumble. The best way to stop your home from falling down is to give it constant loving attention; mowing the lawn, fixing the guttering and giving it a lick of paint every so often to keep it fresh.

With the right care and attention, the house becomes stronger and more filled with love and comfort. It grows strong enough to weather the Australian climate of sun, wind, rain and hail.

Your family

Building a family has the same principles. Providing a strong foundation of safety and security, followed by regular care and attention strengthens family bonds. When there are challenges to be faced, overcoming them will only reinforce the foundation, rather than destroy it.

Tactics

So what are the practical steps to reinforcing your family’s wellbeing and ability to weather the storms?

• Communication – it’s not just about keeping lines of communication open, but also actively making time for each family member, giving them the space to discuss their lives and their feelings.
• Support – when communicating with your family, make an effort to be an active listener. For example, turn off your phone while the other person is talking.
• Spend time together – enjoy family activities together. It could be something as simple as cooking a meal together or planning a family day at the beach.
• Acceptance – no two people are the same. A family is made up of individuals, each bringing unique qualities to the family unit.
• Rituals – routine family activities are a great way to reinforce the family foundations. For example, always eating together at a dining table and taking the time to celebrate each family member’s birthday are some simple rituals to put in place.
• Chores – instead of being something that creates conflict, chores can foster a sense of responsibility. Suggestions include; inviting children to participate in planning sessions to decide who will do which chores.

No matter your family circumstances, with a bit of maintenance, care and attention your family can build from its strong foundations. 

Source: Raising children network

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