I get complimented all the time on how close my family and I are, and get questions asked like “how are you guys so close”, “what do you guys do to remain close”, “do you guys fight”, “how can I bring my family closer like yours”….
Honestly, I don’t really have an answer OR a solution. However, I do know that in order for your family to be close as mine is, everyone in the family has to want that same connection as well. Trying to force a family member to be close to one another or with certain members in your family, just won’t work, unless that person is willing to WANT to be close to them.
So, I might not have the answer you were looking for, BUT I do have some tips on how my family and I stay close. Hopefully these tips will work for you in bringing your family a little bit closer. Because I know how AWESOME it is to have your best friends be your family members, and there is no greater joy then having your kids be raised with a really close and bonded family as well.
TIP # 1
My biggest tip when it comes to bringing family closer or even spending a lot of time with family, is trying not to fight with one another. I always try to remember, THE PAST IS THE PAST! Just because you see my family and I so close and we are spending almost every week together doesn’t mean we don’t have our disagreements, we don’t bicker, or we don’t get annoyed with each other. IT’S NORMAL! But, it’s how you control all those feelings. Do you think that if I start lashing out because I’m annoyed or because we had a disagreement, my family is going to want to continue to be around me…. um NO! Which is completely understandable. I mean I wouldn’t want to hang around people, let alone my family who lash out all the time. So, what do you do?
Well, if you can’t walk away to breathe and gather your thoughts before speaking them, then simply discuss the issue WITHOUT it becoming a big problem. And, I’m not saying your never going to have a calm disagreement with a family member, it will happen, believe me. But, again THE PAST IS THE PAST. You and your family members don’t have to agree with everything. You are your own person and you believe in things certain people don’t believe in… and that’s perfectly OK. If you guys are talking about a subject and it’s starting to get heated…. then simply changed the subject or walk away.
My family and I find that changing the subject is what works best for us. Sometimes (if we need too) someone will walk away, but moving on to a different topic, is whats best!
TIP # 2
Have some manners. This might sound silly right? But, when you and your family members use your manners, that just means there is respect. Which I totally believe in! And, I mean c’mon it’s not hard AT ALL to use some manners. 🙂
TIP # 3
Leave with a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or an “I love you”. One thing you’ll notice about my family, no matter how many times we see each other in a day, is that we are always kissing each other on the cheek. We do that when we see each other and when we leave. It’s our way of saying “I love you, until next time”. Doing this gives us all a deeper connection with each other.
TIP # 4
Try not to be serious. My family and I LOVE TO LAUGH! That is one thing I love about all of us, is that we rarely have a serious conversation. Most of the time we are all laughing.
TIP # 5
Appreciate what you have as a family, even if you are not as close. Sometimes we have to remember that there are many people out in this world that can’t even pick up the phone to call their mom, let alone cousin, uncle, aunt, etc. So, even though you may not be as close with your family or get along with them all the time, still appreciate what you have.
XOXO
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We are blessed.
Very much so! Love you!