There are a number of reasons why you may want to treat your family well and some of them are selfish. For example, having strong family ties means you are more likely to have someone to take care of you when you are older. Also, when you need emotional support they are there for you. However, treating your family well also sets a pattern, perhaps cross generational, where your example sets the tone for how each family member treats one another. Let’s explore how treating your family is important and how it can contribute to a happier and healthier life.
Treat Your Family Well By Providing a Supportive Home Environment
In order to build a supportive home environment you need to be kind to your family. By creating a positive atmosphere while at home, you reduce stress and encourage emotional well being for each family member. Research indicates that people who feel supported by their family are better able to handle the challenges of life. Support provides security which can greatly reduce anxiety, stress and depression, helping each family member maintain better mental health.
The greater sense of belonging and security from a strong family unit helps reduce loneliness and isolation. These feelings are common contributors to poor mental health in an unsupportive family. However, by knowing you have a reliable support system at home it can improve self-esteem and confidence, making life’s challenges easier to navigate.
| DID YOU KNOW Children and teenagers that know more about their family ‘story’, such as where their parents or grandparents come from, how they met, or where they grew up, for example, are more likely to show higher measures in self esteem, academic and social competence and less behavioural issues [1] |
Treat Your Family Well By Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles
There’s more to a positive family dynamic than providing emotional support. Equally important is encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Families who spend time together are much more likely to do healthy activities such as cook nutritious meals, exercise and enjoy spending time outdoors. It turns out that when you treat your family well you encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for all members. This further strengthens the bond between family members but improves their physical health.
Building Family Bonds
There are a number of qualities that help build a strong interdependent and healthy family. Some of these include [2]:
Defined Roles – It is important to know who does what, particularly for household duties, for families to function well together. Including children in family chores teaches them responsibility. With defined roles and expectations you minimize the amount of stress, disagreements and negativity that end up disrupting family cohesion.
Communication – Families that communicate with one another tend to have a strong bond. One thing that is important to facilitate this is to make sure family members eat their meals together. Often, based on differences in schedules this is difficult but at least sitting down together for dinner is valuable to maintain family relationships through communication.
Encouragement of Individuals – It is so often easy to find fault with family members that don’t live up to your expectations. From this comes criticism, arguments, and alienation. By setting roles and expectations for each family member and prioritizing encouragement, and appreciation, your family will become more supportive.
Commitment to family – The best way you can show your family members you care is to be there for them when they need you. This means keeping your promise to attend events or help out when asked. While it isn’t always easy to go to every game or concert, try to make an effort. Your family will appreciate it.
Create Lasting Positive Relationships
The best thing about treating your family well is the legacy it creates. Children learn both the good behavior and the bad from you. By showing kindness, respect, and appreciation toward family members you set a good example on how to behave. This carries forward to your children’s family and relationships. By treating your family well, you can help ensure positive behavior is passed down through generations.
The Compounding Effect of Family Wellness
By treating your family well, you set a standard of behavior for how they will treat their friends and neighbors. A strong family is more likely to be involved in their community. This in turn helps develop a community or neighborhood that supports and helps one another out when needed.
6 Family Activities With Older Kids
This assumes your family is older and your kids have left or will soon leave the nest. It is important to maintain a relationship with your kids, even when you can’t call them kids anymore.
- Have a big family barbeque
- Hold a painting party
- Rent a cottage on a lake
- Get together to watch the big game
- Build a deck together
- Meet up at a favorite restaurant
Conclusion: Treat Your Family Well
Treating your family well isn’t an obligation, it is an approach to living a fulfilling life. By building a supportive relationship with your family you build a strong foundation for family members who will in turn demonstrate and encourage healthy relations with others. This extends to friends, community and your future generations.. As you get older you realize your family is your greatest asset. Treat them well and you will be treated well in return.
Check out How to Regain Your Edge – Its Time!.
References
Parenting Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK402020/
Family Relationships and Wellbeing, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5954612/
Research on Successful Families, https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/research-successful-families-0
Strong Families: How They Work, https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/family-life/routines-rituals-relationships/strong-families
