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How To Understand And Maintain Family Cohesion

It is always said that you only get to choose your friends and to some extent co-workers, but cannot get to choose who your family constituents are. You will be stuck with them for better or worse as we are bound to them by relation forever. Every individual is usually unique from the other in more ways than one. This is the reason why most family members do not get along too well and disagreements become inevitable. However, this does not mean that being part of the same family will become a nightmare forever as there are ways of understanding and maintaining family cohesion.

Taking time to access the situations that bring about conflict

It is always important to take time and reflect upon the differences that exist between you and the other family members. You might find a number of similarities between them and you that are often hidden. You could even end up liking them despite the fact that they always drive you nuts and are hard to understand. It is possible to find a good coexistence within the family unit that will become bearable or enjoyable to some extent. It only calls for understanding, consideration, courage and kindness. However, you will need tact and lots of patience.

Understanding that it is hard to get along with everyone

Due to the fact that everyone is unique in their own way, it makes us be different from each other. Everyone has a right to their own feelings, personalities, habits and diversity. Each family member has their own special role they ought to play. A peaceful co-existence calls for people to respect and recognize each other’s rights and unique role and place in the whole family dynamic. There are some members of the family that will not understand such a concept, and you should accept their right or lack of capacity to do so. It is important to understand and tolerate others in order to achieve family cohesion. The respect for all persons is still far from being achieved and you can only remain polite as of now.

Being patient even if others are not

When seeking family cohesion, patience and understanding are core virtues that really go a long way in finding a lasting solution. Unfortunately, it is not everyone who possesses the virtue of patience. People are profound, petty, inconsiderate and callous at varying times and situations. You should learn these situations and try as much as possible to overcome conflicts caused by our indifference. This is the only way we can remain as a functional family group. However, patience and understanding will be required in order to achieve a successful cooperation.

Being Tactful

In some instances, it is hard to escape having to deal with various family members. There are always shared or cherished chores that should be accomplished or the holidays where family members congregate. In order to achieve family cohesion, you have to be tactful in order to find a lasting solution. In a family setup, it is advisable to find the things that trigger conflicts inside the house or things that make the family grow apart. If the family is stressed up by a young baby suffering from colic then it could be a great idea to consider looking for a lasting solution in the form of an anti-colic bottle. 

In some families, members grow apart due to either indulgence in watching television or being immersed and addicted to their smart phones. You can choose to set various days that all members will share help in preparing a meal and eventually sharing it without the television or phones. The small children should also take part in the meal sharing the dining table using a travel-high-chair.

Ignoring them if you cannot beat them

At times you can reach your wit’s end after trying your level best to establish cohesion with some family members. When you reach a point where you can no longer bend over backward or cannot just stomach the personality of a family member, especially the extended family, you can opt to ignore them. You must have tried everything possible to understand them before making the decision to ignore them for the sake of your peace. It will save you a great deal of aggravation and energy.

shrewdmommy: I am a housewife. I have a nearly one-year-old daughter. My preference is to raise kids and helping people develop skills in parenting. (http://shrewdmommy.com)
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