photo by Sai De Silva via Unsplash
Building a Strong Family Communication Link
September 15, 2020 | by colleen thompson, guest contributor
How would you categorize your relationship with your child? Is it good?
Do you listen to your child or just shout commands?
Does he/she come to you confidently to discuss matters?
Is your child withdrawn?
Are you a tolerant parent?
Based on your answers to the above questions, that will help to determine whether or not your family communication link needs strengthening.
Open communication is necessary in all relationships and that is especially true in creating a successful family relationship. Communication is defined as transfer, transmit and to be connected. To communicate, therefore, is to link. It is the bridge connecting family members. Parents should communicate effectively to create mutual connection.
We need tools to build strong family relationships. We also need to develop positive attitudes. It is our attitude which will determine an efficient use of the tools. Attitude is defined as: a way of thinking or behaving. In this article we will be using building material to represent each tool.
In order to build a strong family base, the following must be applied: Perseverance, Prayer, Praise and Patience. Let’s call this Formula P4. These tools represent the attitudes which parents should embrace in order to strengthen communication in their families. The physical tools below represent each attitude.
Sand Gravel Cement Steel
Your challenge is to match the most appropriate material to its counterpart. After matching, think about your reason for associating each building material with a particular attitude. How does this exercise affect the way you communicate with your family members?
For me Patience represents ________________________
For me Perseverance represents _____________________
For me Prayer represents ___________________________
For me Praise represents _____________________________
So, let us see how the attitudes of Praise, Perseverance, Prayer and Patience can be associated with building materials such as cement, steel, sand, and gravel.
As we seek to adjust our attitude toward our spouse and children let us examine this closer. Notice that the response is based on how you see it. If you matched differently than what is presented that is fine; variety is the spice of life. It also shows that although everyone may be given the same material, we don’t necessarily have to build in the same way.
- Perseverance represents gravel
- Praise represents cement
- Prayer represents steel
- Patience represents sand
Think about the following
Perseverance: Can you keep on doing something even though it is difficult.
- It’s like walking on gravel
- A balancing act; that’s what Parenting requires
Patience: Are you able to put up with annoyance without becoming angry?
- Can you endure trouble without complaining?
- It’s like walking in sand; you will make it, but it takes patience
Prayer: You cannot do it alone; request Divine Help
- Pray with your family; pray for each member
- Prayer represents the steel that strengthens
Praise: Praise each family member for effort
- Everyone needs to feel special and loved
- Praise represents the cement that binds; bonding is an essential element.
Use these Power Tools to strengthen communication with family members.
A thought for you:
Don’t handicap your children by making their lives easy. – Robert A. Heinlein
