All of us are part of a family in one
form or another. Every person in a family is interdependent on every
other family member. Today, we are learning more about what makes a
healthy family, not a perfect family.
A healthy family is flexible. The parts
are constantly in motion and changing. There is spontaneity. People
can laugh, cry and have fun.
The more uptight the family structure
is, the less room there's going to be for growth and individuality. A
family encourages independence. See Dad's washing the clothes. Sally
is fixing a faucet. It's not so rigid that people cannot be
individuals or test different ways of behaving.
In healthy families, a caring
respectful relationship between Mother and Dad is the basic model. In
single parent families, Mothers or Dads nurture adult relationships
and give them caring and support.
Healthy families do have problems, but
each family member is loved and valued. There may be plenty of
conflict and difference of opinion, but the main message is: this is a
safe place to talk about your feelings, express your needs, say what
you think. And everybody in the family gets to talk. Everybody.
The biggest problem for most families
is that family members aren't allowed to have their own feeling. In
healthy families individuals know that their feelings of other family
members.
Nurturing our families takes
commitment, cooperation and open communications. Whether we are
playing together, celebrating, or taking responsibility for some
individual tasks, each of us has something positive to offer. We are,
each one, a unique part of this special team, our own family.
© LifeWorks Employee Resource
