Improving communication in your family can help make your family members closer and prevent conflicts from getting in the way of everyone’s happiness.
Here are ways to improve communication in your family and promote closeness of members:
Respect what your family members have to say
When a member of the family expresses an opinion, don’t dismiss it or interrupt them before they can finish speaking. Maintaining open, respectful communication channels will help your family develop trust and strengthen your bond.
Avoid harsh criticism and judgments
Give each other permission to express emotions and act silly without fear of anyone criticising or judging them. When people expect harsh judgment, they tend to bottle things up and avoid sharing their feelings.
Listen to your family members actively
Active listening is when you absorb what the other person says and show that you are paying attention. Make eye contact with them, nod your head, and respond appropriately. Just listen instead of planning on what you’ll say next, and don’t give advice or your opinion until the other person has finished.
Read also: How To Have A Good Family Life
Express love and appreciation frequently
Little verbal and nonverbal gestures of affection have so much impacts. In addition to saying “I love you,” try to find small, specific ways to show you care for each other.
Avoid comparing your family to those you see on social media
It can be easy to believe that because other people always look happy in their pictures and videos that they really always feel that way. If you start feeling envy of someone else’s family, just remind yourself that you don’t know what their life is really like, and they likely have family arguments and other issues just like everyone else.
Have upbeat weekly family meetings
A family meeting does not have to be formal or focus solely on heavy topics. Every week, you can turn off the TV and put away the phones, and hang out with each other for an hour or so.
Talk about the past week’s ups and downs, any upcoming events, and just shoot the breeze with each other. This kind of communication will make every member to share in one another’s successes and challenges.
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