Families, almost from their start, face forces that could pull them apart. When a family begins to mature, that potential loss of connection, that feeling of something changing, is difficult to confront. And it makes communication even more important. “This idea of feeling connected becomes very reinforcing, to all of us.
It’s All About Support
Good family communication is important because families are what we most often turn to for support. If families aren’t communicating, support systems can fall apart.
- Help for family members can take many different forms including: Emotional support, Esteem support, Network support, Informational support, Tangible support, and Financial support
Communication Tips
The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems helps examine and treat families
Keep at It
Families, even those in transition, have one huge advantage in the ability to stay connected.
- Despite the — should we say,’mishaps?’ — that occur along the way, in adolescence and into adulthood, you have those ties that maintain the connection. That’s where families can be particularly strong.”
How to Keep the Lines Open
Once you know it’s important for your family to communicate, you have to figure out how
- Emails are wonderful tools except when they’re not
- Emails are notorious for generating misunderstanding
- Texts or tweets can lack the cues you get only with visual connection
- FaceTime or similar forms of communication are better than nothing
Reaching Out
With a kid away at school or a parent separated from the family, figuring out who makes the first communication move is sometimes difficult.
- If someone does not take the risk and reach out, it is not going to happen. If you want to stay in touch, you can:
- Send a card or brief email
- Leave a message
