Sometimes the anticipation of extending the olive branch to an estranged family member is the scariest part of the process. Before you decide to reach out make sure that you are ready for the meeting. You need to be able…
Read more
One might assume that sharing memories would bring family members closer together. Sometimes, however, attempting to reminisce about the old days creates conflict and discord, with siblings getting into heated arguments, each believing his/her memories are accurate and a sibling’s…
Read more
For a great family day out that doesn’t break the budget, a summer picnic is hard to beat. Once the food is prepared and you reach your destination, the whole family can relax, enjoy the day and spend quality time…
Read more
Love comes in all forms but deep down it is a feeling of admiration or tenderness toward someone or something. If you ask smart children who have received love, it is easy. According to four-year-old Terri, “Love is what makes you…
Read more
In most households sibling rivalry cannot be prevented, and there is no one to blame for its occurrence. It is helpful for parents to figure out the triggers within the family unit that creates the rivalry. Efforts should be made…
Read more
Summer picnics provide an affordable, enjoyable way to spend time with family. Family members can learn to enjoy working (and playing) together by preparing food, deciding on a location, and enjoying fun activities that go well with summer picnics. This…
Read more
Protecting an aging parent without make them feel less independent is a balancing act. They are at a stage in their life where they have to accept limitations. It’s not easy to accept that you are no longer capable of…
Read more
The holidays are usually a mixture of joy and stress. The season can bring out the best in some people, they might feel compelled to hold a door for a complete stranger or volunteer to help carry their neighbor’s groceries…
Read more
The family coat of arms is a means of identifying belonging – that you and your relatives that all bear the same coat of arms belong together. It is not a new concept: although the actual origins of arms are…
Read more
As summer approaches, the desire to get outside and be active begins to swell within the hearts of many families- families with babies and young children, single moms, and families with teens- just to name a few. They ask themselves,…
Read more
Parenting adds an entire gamut of responsibilities, appointments, meetings and activities that need attention in a timely fashion. Certainly with everything else going on in a parent’s life, it can be challenging to keep on top of everything. There are…
Read more
When you think of, “forgetful parents”, your mind tends to make you think that the person is older, or maybe even elderly. This is not always the case though. Some forgetful parents might have things like a head injury from…
Read more
Driving parents crazy is fun. It takes know how, direction and creativity Some parents swear that their kids sit in their rooms and conjure up methods to drive Mom and Dad to the very brink of their sanity. But in…
Read more
In a more modern society, fathers and daughters are bonding better, and closer father-daughter ties are being cemented. When it comes to a father passing tips to his teen girl, attributes like honesty, compassion and integrity can certainly be passed…
Read more
All the technology that has invaded homes in recent decades appears to improve lives, but can appearances be deceiving? Does the convenience of modern technology really bring families closer together or encourage them to drift apart? Television, computers, video players and…
Read more
Spring time is here and summer is approaching and there are plenty of creative ideas to get kids and teens alike active and enjoying the warm weather. If riding a bike or taking a walk sounds boring, there are many…
Read more
One of the ways good friends nurture their relationship and maintain closeness, enjoying one another’s company, is by frequently going to lunch or dinner together. The same can be true of families; coming together regularly to enjoy a communal meal…
Read more
Having a loving, close-knit family does not happen by accident. Being related to one another and living under the same roof are not the only requirements for a family to function effectively. Communicating, being organized and sharing common goals are…
Read more
Having a room of their own where they can go to be alone with their thoughts, keep their favorite things intact and enjoy privacy is important to most children. If the family is large and it is not possible to…
Read more
The quality of a person’s family life in childhood has huge impact on his/her adult relationships and experiences. Some individuals work on self-improvement their entire adult lives, in an effort to overcome negative personality traits acquired years before as a…
Read more
Families establish rules to keep day to day operation of the family unit running smoothly. In some families the parents, as the voice of authority, set down the rules to be followed and the children are expected to do as…
Read more
A joint family in very simple terms is a family consisting of at least three generations living together under the same roof. Usually the family is headed by the oldest male and all the men in the family are related by birth. More…
Read more
When you walk down the aisle and make your promises, you probably already know your future spouse’s family. Though how well do you know them? From the moment that you know you will marry, it’s important to get to know…
Read more
Teenagers who run away from home may have many different reasons for their actions, though a parent who recognizes that there are problems before these problems become too enormous, is likely to curb that potential runaway situation. Parents worry about their…
Read more
Sometimes parents can come across as mean and unfair when they are only looking out for your best interests. For example: you want to go with friends for summer vacation to Europe, without any adult supervision and you are only…
Read more
Narcissistic individuals tend to be bullies in their interaction with others. Family life can often become difficult, if you happen to have a narcissist in your midst and you inadvertently ruffle his/her self-centered feathers. People who suffer from narcissism have…
Read more
It is interesting to see studies on role reversal that show that different groupings can be defined within the parameters of those who participate. Role reversal, in simple terms, means that a parent swaps traditional placement with a child, or that the…
Read more
At some stage in life, the dilemma of caring for the elderly parent raises its head. Elderly people suffer through illness and infirmity, and need the help of their children as much as those children needed their parental guidance while…
Read more
Every day of the week, a child somewhere is being incorporated into a new family. With the trend of divorce increases and single parent status being acceptable, children are the innocents who have to be incorporated into new family structures…
Read more
Because bullying is often learned through example, it is highly possible that an entire family could exhibit bullying behavior. If parents use manipulation and intimidation in their interactions with others, they are less apt to recognize and curb excessively assertive…
Read more