Positive Family Communication Rules for Your Home

Positive communication is one of the cornerstones of a productive family unit. Many of the struggles that families face stem from poor communication skills and misunderstandings. 

Strong communication skills are especially important for families with children. The sooner you instill positive communication skills in your children, the easier it will be for them to express their feelings, release emotions in a healthy manner, and tell you their wants and needs. 

There are a few simple rules that you can use to help you and your family build better communication skills.  

Use the following rules to help your family improve their positive communication. 

Rules for Better Family Communication 

No family is the same. However, there are several rules that can help every family improve their communication skills and by extension their interpersonal relationships. 

Schedule time together as a family and discuss thoughts and feelings. 

One of the biggest issues that families face is that individuals do not always feel heard. This is common when one family member’s issues dominate parents’ attention. Other members often feel less important and less heard.  

The best way to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard is to schedule dedicated family time. Think of this time as a sort of round table. The issues discussed can be big or small. They can be important, humorous, light, or dark. What is key is that all family members have their voices heard and their opinions expressed. 

If this is not working, consider setting up one-on-one time with each family member. This can help forge stronger individual bonds and help your family unit communicate better as a whole. 

Speak for yourself, listen to yourself. 

Never assume you know what another family member is thinking or feeling. When you try to be a psychic, misconceptions are sure to follow. Do not try to speak to others, even small children. Instead, ask your family members their opinions and let them express themselves. 

Just as important is that you speak for and listen to yourself. Your needs are just as important as your family members. Do not neglect your own needs for your family members’ perceived wants. Be honest and express your wants and needs to your family members. 

Focus on the truth. 

You will get nowhere if you are trying to hide the truth from yourself or your family members. Some topics can be difficult to discuss or come to terms with. Topics like death,  divorce, conflict and other significant changes in your family’s lives need to be confronted and discussed.  

Make sure that communication is structured and delivered in a safe place and family members are prepared to hear difficult news.  

For less serious instances, make sure you are not creating a false reality or ignoring critical issues. Problems that are ignored will fester and will only get worse overall. 

Attack the problem, never each other. 

When family members want different things or have different ideas on how to face issues, it can be easy to devolve into personal attacks or develop negative feelings for one another. Remember that you and your family members are on the same team, and it is your family versus the problem, not your family versus one another.  

Brainstorm solutions, keep an open mind, and listen to your family members' needs. Consult a professional therapist if issues become too much to handle. 

Respect is the name of the game. 

Communication is all about respect. Be sure to listen often, dedicate time to each family member, and validate one another's viewpoints. If your family members feel respected, they will be more likely to respect you back.  

Remember, while it is important to spend quality time together, time spent apart is equally important. Respect personal space and alone time. Breaking each other’s boundaries is a clear sign of disrespect. When a boundary is set, make sure it is maintained. 

Better Communication Makes for a Better Family Life
 

One of the best ways to improve your family life is by improving your communication skills.  

Communication skills go a long way toward helping children express their feelings and develop their social skills. Children learn how to communicate with their family members. For this reason, it is important to practice positive communication skills early in your children's lives.  

Are you looking for ways to give your children more advantages? Child Focus is here to help! We offer services in early learning, behavioral health, education and training, and more. Reach out to Child Focus to learn how we can help give your children every advantage.