Taking your family’s temperature
I was perusing the magazine area of Barnes and Noble the other day, which I consider to be quite a treat. On a hot summer afternoon, I can think of few things that are as relaxing for me as some down time at a bookstore, drinking iced coffee, with no particular agenda in mind. While I was there, I picked up the most recent issue of Psychology Today, which included an article on developing a happy and healthy family. The article listed several suggestions that, when present, can lead to greater family satisfaction, where each member feels a sense of security and significance within the family.
Some of these suggestions are ones we’ve all heard before, but still get at the heart of what builds family bonds and togetherness. Some ideas included sharing family meals, which provide opportunity for conversation and even problem solving together. Another suggestion was building rituals and routines together, including simple rituals such as having pancakes on Saturday mornings, or always singing the same song to your little ones before bed. Also emphasized was having fun and laughing together.
