The essence of family is to support each other. Your parents supported you when you were born and as you grow up, and you will help them after they retire and maybe have health issues that require your care. In an ideal world, all families would get along and support each other, but that isn’t always the case. Indeed, some families struggle to have each other’s backs, which can create a toxic household and could damage relationships for a long time–if not forever.
So how can a family support each other more? You don’t need to become superhuman. All you need to do is understand the secrets of help to improve your relationship with your family and remind them that you are there for them.
Spend Time Together
Perhaps you hated family time when you were growing up. You might have preferred to spend time chatting with friends or playing games in your room. This is natural for teenagers, but it also means you miss out on the support you could offer and receive from your family. As you get older, you’ll start to appreciate each other more, so spending time with family enables you to learn more about each other, helping develop closer relationships that encourage you to support one another.
Motivate Each Other
You can also see how to motivate one another to help the entire family become their best selves. Whether this is offering advice in school to prepare them for college or showing them the benefits of exercise to relieve stress and improve their conditioning, you can use motivation to support your parents or siblings. Sometimes, you may come across as a little mean, but that’s the drive they need to push themselves to the next level.
Take An Interest In Each Other’s Hobbies
Many people have hobbies that you don’t care about or understand. Still, when it comes to your family, you can benefit from taking an interest in each other’s hobbies. This is a great way to show support and encourage them to do their best. For parents, you can even explore hobbies you can do together that can strengthen the bond between you and your child.
Do Things Without Being Asked
Expectation can be a big thing in households, especially if one person is always responsible for cooking or cleaning. If they don’t do this, things often don’t get done, which can disrupt the household and cause frustration. So, while it may not be your job to clean the kitchen, doing it without being asked shows that you care. It also takes the pressure off your parents or partner after a long day at work when they’d much rather lay on the sofa and watch TV.
Share Chores and Household Demands
Likewise, you can look at the best ways to divide household chores fairly. All household chores should fall onto one person. Everyone needs to pull their weight, even if they complain about it. Consider what everyone can do and set up a rota for chores. Your kids may not have the skills to cook dinner every night or clean the bathroom, but they can be responsible for tidying their room at the very least.
Work Through Problems Together
All families encounter issues, but rather than brush it all under the rug, they can find ways to work together to solve these issues. You can do this by embracing the power of communication and talking about how you feel in a safe and comfortable environment. If things get terrible, there are family counseling services you can explore that can give your family the help it needs from a professional. These sessions can be critical for ensuring your family overcomes its troubles, and everyone understands and respects each other.
Learn To Appreciate Each Other
Appreciation comes from spending time with one another and understanding what makes each other tick. This is not easy if you all live on different sides of the country (or even the world), but taking the time to familiarize yourself with your family members can make a huge difference. For many people, their siblings can feel like strangers or think they don’t have much in common. This attitude is acceptable, but you can still recognize who they are and what they do.
Reach Out To Each Other
Even if you aren’t physically close, you can still spend time together and reach out to check in on your family. Knowing that you’re all there for each other can be comforting enough if anyone is going through a hard time, and you can play online games weekly to connect and catch up. This is a great way to show support and gives you a reason to speak to each other if you’re often too busy and forget to check in regularly.
Hold Each Other Accountable
While being there for each other is essential, you must hold them accountable and let your family take responsibility for their actions. No one will grow and improve if they are coddled at all times, so there needs to come a point when they admit they have made a mistake. While you should still be gentle, you shouldn’t let them off no matter what, just because they are family.
Let Each Other Make Mistakes
Making mistakes helps people learn valuable lessons they would otherwise ignore or miss. You don’t want them to make significant and potentially catastrophic mistakes, but you can teach your family to think and act for themselves by not being there all the time. As they grow up, they’ll realize that these mistakes were lessons and have helped them become more responsible and mature.
Support
You can’t choose your family, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be there for one another. While there’s no need to be all up in each other’s business all the time (because that would get annoying), you can show your support and ensure they know they can turn to you if needed. These tips are ideal for families who feel a significant disconnect, so consider how following these ideas could improve your family bond.