Families differ from each other. Some are traditional and seem to be perfect; some are dysfunctional, but tend to still be strong; some are so composed, but manipulated and some seem to be rich and have everything, but lack love. So the old question is, what makes a great family?
My family is recognized as one of the best families in our community for many times now. So yeah, I guess I am quite blessed to be born in my family. I’ve observed my own family and other great families to discover all the secrets that I can share to others. I’ve came up with 8 qualities that would make a great family. Read on and learn about them here.
1. Give credit and appreciate. One of my best memories as a child is when my report card comes out with good grades. I then show it to my parents (and actually to almost all the members of my extended family) and they would give me treats, new toys or even money. Simple showing of appreciation is one of the qualities of a great family. Appreciation for small and large things alike is important to boost one’s self esteem and express the love you have for each other.
2. Give time. In these modern times, when everyone seems to be preoccupied with something, and people have more than one job, making multitasking is a must, allotting enough time and affection for your family is so important because it is one of the qualities of a strong family. So no matter how busy you are, make sure to spend time for family matters and do things together once in a while. It can be once a week or twice a month, it’s up to you. It can be as simple as sharing meal times or taking a vacation overseas. I believe that love can sometimes be spelled t-i-m-e, so give time to your family because money lost can still be earned back, but time cannot.
3. Talk to each other. Strong families have an effective communication environment. They tend to choose family members (and not friends or neighbors) as their first resort to express their emotions, talk about their fears or desires and help solve their problems. Their meal times are always full of positive conversation and exchange of ideas. And more importantly, they layout specific ground rules, know their limitations and know a lot about the members of their family.
4. Be positive. When you are not getting positive vibes at home, then where else would you get it? The ability to be positive and see it within the family is an important quality not only inside the house, but in all aspects of life. When you are positive everything else will follow, and I’m sure you will have a remarkable life.
5. Spiritual wellness. Some might disagree that spiritual wellness is important to a family, but truly, a great family has strong faith and belief no matter what their religion is. When a family has a strong spiritual foundation, they are just more loving and understanding, thus making them stronger. So invest in your family’s spiritual wellness and learn to pray or go to church.
6. Trust each other. Strong families trust each other. Children trust their parents with all their life, while parents trust their children too, which can also mean not being overprotective. By knowing each other very much, family values have already been, and what’s left to do is trust.
7. Strong leadership. Raising great families can definitely be the most difficult job ever, but the reward of a child’s love can’t be compare to anything. As parents, one should be strong enough to handle their family, but still be gentle enough to understand each individual. The right mix of leadership and being firm with the rules, while showing your children that you can also be fun and open minded is an important quality of a great family.
8. Ability to deal with stress, conflict and crisis. No matter how perfect you think your family is, there will come a time that it will be tested, and problems will hit you right in your face. Strong families should learn how to combine all the above qualities and use it to survive every difficulty.
Not to brag, but I am firm to say that my family is one of the greatest families ever. We may not be that rich, but we are wealthy in happiness and love. So do you feel the same way? Then be proud and drop a shout out to your family in the comment section below. Moreover, if you know a family who needs help, then share this post and help inspire someone’s family to be stronger.
