photo by www.hastos.info

Family is a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group. Each family has it’s own strength. For a family to function properly, everyone needs to get along and feel a minimum of stress and unhappiness.

Everyone wants a functioning home and aware of the negative effects of a dysfunctional household. Benefits of a family happiness and unity are huge. Surveys indicated that while happiness was strongly tied to changes in the quality of family relationships. Children or teens need a close and stable family relationship.

A dysfunctional family is a family, in which conflict, misbehaviour and even abuse occur frequently, leading other members to accommodate such actions.

When the family is happy, children or teen of the family will be happy too, and vice versa! Teen that comes from a family lacking adult love will learn from the technology around them eg virtual friends. They lack of emotional self-control, and ‘parented’ by their mobile phones.

Single parents, or busy parents; with no support may not have the energy to give time and support to the children. Free time will be ‘me’ time; not family time.

Teens need to feel loved, valued and secure – it starts at home.

photo by sites.psu.edu

Tips for parents for Family Happiness

Respect each other’s view and opinion. Love each other.

Children and teens love to hear your stories when you are at their age, and stories of yourself at work.

Set example of love to the children. If you treat your partner well, most likely your teen will treat other children well.

It’s time to connect. Ensure you connect with your kids. Make meal time a quality time.

This is the most fun way to spend as a family, and the get connected.

If they don’t get the fun at home, they will look elsewhere.

Eg going out for dinner every weekend. Value your family rituals.

Nobody shouts at home. If you yell, it will only reflect you are out of control.

Try to protect your children.

Ensure every family member communicate effectively with each other.

1. Enjoy each other, treat each other well.

2. Share stories with your children.

3. Relationship and marriage are very important.

4. Eat together.

5. Play together

6. Put family before friends

7. Kids need fun!

8. Family needs rituals.

9. Calm environment at home.

10. Parents, never fight in front of the kids.

11. Do not work all the time, prioritize your kids. They are valuable.

12. Communicate openly.

13. Ensure sense of connection with each other.

14. Each of the children is unique. Their uniqueness is what makes them special, and they should be proud of it.