How To Improve Family Coexistence: 7 Useful Tips And Habits
Living with family is sometimes not easy. There are different factors that explain these disputes that can appear in the family context: the age of its members, the degree of intimacy, spaces, the degree of kinship, internal conflicts, personality types, etc.
In this article we will propose various guidelines on how to improve family coexistence, especially within the home As we will see, these will focus on dedicating quality time to the family, establishing rules and promoting healthy communication, among others.
As we know, family relationships are not always easy. Although we can be very comfortable with our family, exchange experiences, share good moments… Sometimes in the family context disputes, arguments, conflicts and misunderstandings arise naturally
Sometimes this is influenced by the fact of living (in the same home) or not with family members. That is, having a relationship with a distant cousin (whom we barely see) is not the same as living with a brother. The small “frictions” of everyday life, coexistence, housework, shared spaces, each person’s personality, etc., can generate certain problematic situations. But how to improve family coexistence?
How to improve family coexistence?
In this article we explain some guidelines on how to improve family coexistence. Each of them, if applied, must be adapted to each specific case since “each family is a world.”
1. Find moments to talk
A first guideline that we propose is to find spaces during the day to talk with other family members. The ideal is to propose an hour a day, for example at night, after dinner, where the family gets together and discusses how their day went, something that happened to them, small worries, etc.
The idea is that you can talk informally with your children, your father, your mother, etc., and that there be a small space for each person to express how they feel Communication is an essential tool for creating well-being in groups, which increases trust and strengthens the bond between members.
2. Share hobbies
Another guideline that we propose on how to improve family coexistence is look for hobbies or hobbies that we may have in common with another family member. The ideal is to look for common points, especially with those family members with whom we get along the worst, or with whom we have recently had more moments of tension, a certain degree of distance, etc.
It could be, for example, between a mother and her child. The hobby in question can be done inside or outside the home (for example, going for a walk, going to the movies, doing puzzles…), and it may also be a good option to find a “fixed” day of the week to do this activity. Logically, it has to be an activity that both parties really like and that is done for pleasure, not “out of obligation.”
3. Establish norms
Another guideline that attempts to respond to how to improve family coexistence consists of establish certain rules, especially within the home This guideline can be useful especially if you have small children or teenagers.
The rules can be agreed upon by the entire family (always taking into account the age of the children and/or level of development). These norms may include, for example: arrival times at home (especially in adolescents), distribution of household tasks, other types of schedules, things that can and cannot be done at home, etc.
In relation to the previous guideline, we suggest another related one; the distribution of household tasks. This can be a good way to give responsibilities to children, so that they gain autonomy that they are clear about what things they should do and when (especially to avoid disputes and arguments), etc.
How to improve family coexistence through the distribution of tasks? Through the assignment of specific roles and hours for carrying out tasks, through prior agreement between family members, etc.
If each member of the family is clear about what tasks they should do and when, this can facilitate coexistence, because You work as a team and having responsibilities (especially among the little ones) is always beneficial for personal autonomy.
5. Encourage healthy communication
It seems obvious, but many times, especially when we have been living with someone for a long time, we can have inappropriate communicative interactions. This means: speaking badly to the other person (sometimes without realizing it), not listening to them, not showing interest in what they explain to us, etc.
This may be due to tiredness from everyday life, discomfort for other reasons (bad mood), etc. If we learn to communicate correctly, to listen and to be attentive to what is explained to us, all of this can improve family coexistence, since the atmosphere will be more relaxed and more respectful among family members
6. Share lunches/dinners
Another guideline on how to improve family coexistence has to do with sharing time at home. It is not necessary to eat and dine together every day, but it can be a beneficial option. agree on at least one or two days a week to have lunch or dinner as a family
Furthermore, for this shared time to be quality time, a tip is to put your cell phones in a box before starting to eat or dine (and not use them while you are at the table).
7. Dedicate quality time
As we see, if we want to know how to improve family coexistence, we must know how to dedicate quality time to other family members. Furthermore, it should be noted that it is not only important to dedicate time to the family, but this time must be quality time. This guideline somewhat encompasses the previous ones, and is intended to be a global guideline that guides family dynamics.
In this way, quality time is one where family members listen to each other, look each other in the eyes, are attentive to what others are explaining, show interest in others, they are not thinking about other things or doing other activities beyond sharing that specific moment with the family, etc. These moments include all the previous ones (hobbies, meals, relaxation…), and the ideal is that they be maintained over time.
