How to get along

Posted by Talking Matters on 10 May 2014

There are different types of families and people may be related in different ways however families share emotional bonds, and support each other. When there are children in the family the adults are involved in the care of the children. Relationships within families effect the well-being of all members and influence the way the children will manage their own relationships later in life. Relationships influence how people deal with stress, manage conflict and solve problems.

Raising children with special needs can add extra stress on relationships. There are however things that families can do to help develop strong and supportive relationships.

Healthy relationships mean that:

All members feel safe and connected to each other
Members feel supported and trust each other
Members share positive times and support each other at difficult times

When children grow up with healthy family relationships they:

Learn how to deal with conflict appropriately
Have a model of how to build effective relationships in their own adult life
Learn and develop in a warm, trusting environment
Learn how to interact with others in a positive way

Building positive relationships can be hard work. There are always times of conflict, misunderstanding and hurt. People have different values and beliefs, learned from their own family background. There are things that families can do to help build strong positive relationships within their family such as:

Showing affection
Talking together, sharing experiences and having fun together
Spending time all together as a family
Spending some time each day with each child
Having family routines and rituals such as eating together, sharing a bedtime story or a walk
Sharing the planning for family events
Giving younger children choices so they share in the planning
Sharing and teaching problem solving skills
Telling people what you like about them
Listening to each other, trying to understand and respect each other’s feelings
Modeling and explaining how to treat each other appropriately
Accepting and respecting that individuals have different likes, dislikes and preferences
Getting support if needed from family, friends or a professional.

To find out more about kids mental health visit the kids matter website.

Did you know Talking Matters now has psychology? Find out more on our website.

Talking Matters provides speech pathology, occupational therapy and psychology services to kids of all ages in Adelaide, South Australia. To find out more about our team and what we do browse our website and see how we can help your family.

There is also more information on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Pinterest.

How to get along

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