A united and happy family is the key to forming a stable and productive society.
Each family is unique. It has its characteristics, particularities, and personalities. But in the end, they are composed of human beings. The advice that I will share with you in this blog post is not all-encompassing or comprehensive. However, it can be useful for everyone, regardless of the culture and place where they live to strive to have a happy family.
It must be recognized that in order to achieve family happiness, you have to work hard every day to build blocks, like in a construction project. All of us have to do this to this until it is firmly established.
More importantly, we have to approach it with the understanding that good, as well as bad times, and unpleasant experiences are part of daily life.
When we look at the world around us we see that there are many people that have not been able to have a happy family. These people end up sunk in misfortunes.
Others believe that money is the basis of everything and that principles, virtues, and values should be relegated to the background.
Here it is worth saying that each of the members of our families must fulfill their role. All of us as parents have to do our job in working with our children to help them acquire a sense of responsibility and accountability according to their age.
I am sure that you will agree with me that the sum of these factors will result in long-term stability, happiness, and tranquility. This article by Eric Barker for TIMES titled: “How To Have a Happy Family – 7 Tips Backed by Research” brings an interesting perspective that is consistent with what I will discuss in this blog post. It really captures the essence of what I will discuss and you should read it as a reference.
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How to Make Your Family Happy
Let me share with you ten good tips that will allow you to enjoy your family life. These tips will also help you identify and correct faults you may have that may rob you of peace. Please, understand that your parenting style plays an important role on the effectiveness of these tips. Therefore, I recommend that you take time to read my blog post titled: “Parenting Styles Psychology”. This article offers you detailed information on the different styles and how they affect the children. The following are tips to make your family happy:
1. Start with Your Faith
Family unity and happiness starts with a solid faith foundation. There is no way to move forward without exercising some level of faith formation that will aid in the process of achieving family unity.
2. Establish and Maintain Good Communication
For this to occur it has to involve an exchange of ideas, opinions, perspectives, ways of thinking and feeling. Everybody is busy. Spouses have schedule commitments related to work and house shore.
Children at every age are also busy with their own tasks. As they grow older, they start making their own decisions, which at times pull them away from the family.
Then there is the case of the extended family. In some instances, they insert themselves in the nucleus of the family with their comments and opinions.
The fact is that is not uncommon for a busy family to fail to set aside time for a productive dialog and open communication. If this does not happen, it will be difficult for the members of the family to know their priorities, concerns, and intentions.
Sometimes it happens that they only see each other when there is a serious problem. In the instance in which the young adults have moved out of the house, the opportunity to see each other comes when a family members die.
3. Make Time to Share Good Moments Together As a Family
I am sure that you know this, but I will say it anyway, life is not just about work and studies. Planning the holidays together or short trips, get-togethers or other simple activities on weekends helps the family unity.
Additionally, it will reinforce the sense of commitment, understanding, and friendship. Yes, there is such a thing as friendship in a family.
4. Forgive
With the different personalities in a family, it is easy to develop grudges. Therefore, we need to get used to forgive the mistakes that are made. No one is perfect and we all fail.
Apologizing when an error has been made helps keep the family together. There are many things that can generate discord and inconvenience.
We need to recognize when we have made a mistake, exercise humility, and show our love for the family member that we may have offended. This is the first step to live peacefully.
5. Mutual Respect
This is very important, especially if you do not agree with the opinions of others in the family. When mutual respected is not shown and there is constant recourse to criticism or sarcasm, things will go downhill very quickly.
6. Instill a Core Set of Values
Things like tolerance, responsibility, honesty, and respect will make the home stronger. If these values are part of the fundamental education of the children, they will be reflected in the personality and development of each of the family members.
7. Give Priority to Human Contact
In these times, when the use of technological advances has put more emphasis on electronic communication, it is vital to give importance and priority to human contact. You have to take moments away from your cell phone, tablet, TV or any electronic device.
Turning it off or keeping it away at mealtimes or when we set aside time to talk, can be a useful measure.
8. Teach by Example
This can be a cliché, but you can tell your children hundreds of things that they should not do or should avoid, but if you do not practice them, they will not either. The same happens with values, if they do not see us as parents showing respect or affection, it will be difficult for them to do it on their own.
9. Eat Together As a Family
My recommendation to you is simple, in the midst of all the busy schedules, please make an effort to eat together at least once a week (preferably every day). The mealtime (without mobile devices or TV) is a good opportunity to talk, share good things and even concerns.
Although in these days both spouses may have to work or have several jobs for financial reasons, or the children are involved in after-school activities, a get together if possible at dinner time is a wonderful idea.
10. Give Your Family The Importance it Deserves
Your family should always come first before other things like work, sports, or other social commitments. Sometimes you make time for your friends or other acquaintances, but not for your spouse or children.
You have to make a strong effort to give them the attention and the priority they deserve.
Conclusion
You have to make the time for your family and do not give up when looking for happiness. This is a process that takes time, effort and dedication but it is very worthwhile.
Learning to solve problems, demonstrate and develop good qualities, make changes in the way of being and give proper education to children are part of the job.
Always keep your faith alive. If things do not go as expected at the beginning, do not be disappointed. Real life is not like romance novels or love movies where in the end everyone lived happily-ever-after. The best thing to do is to talk to each other and set goals to aim for with a clear and definitive objective.
Happiness can be achieved but based on hard work and perseverance.
Is family unity a challenge for you? In what ways have you tried to foster family unity? I would love to hear what has worked for you?
