Family Conflict
Family conflict is one of the biggest stressors in adolescents lives. In most cases, this is completely normal and will decrease as children grow older. However, it can put a strain on children and parents while they are in the midst of it. In addition, prolonged or severe stress can alter the way a child’s brain develops and can cause damage that will last a lifetime. This week we will discuss the stress that can occur, what families can do to help prevent stress and coping mechanisms a child can practice to help ease their stress.
Managing Family Conflict
All families have conflict, no matter how well the family functions. People living together with different personalities will have differences in opinion and this only increases when children enter adolescents. No matter the ages of those living in the household, there are ways to help reduce the amount of issues a family has and decrease negative feelings each person might have. When your family is experiencing conflict make sure that you sit down and discuss the issues each member is having. Everyone should be given a chance to speak, no one should feel or be attacked for their thoughts or feelings and the goal should be to fix the issue(s), not winning an argument.
Family Conflict & Children
Minimizing Family Conflict
Family conflict will always occur, but there are ways to decrease these occurrences. Having open lines of communication between family members can help alleviate issues that will arise. Family meetings are a great way for everyone to discuss their thoughts and feelings without feeling attacked. This gives members the ability to speak with each other when they are calm and are not on the defense. Also having boundaries and clear consequences will keep adolescents from guessing about their expectations and what may happen if they make a mistake. Allowing family members to be themselves and accepting that there will be disagreements between members. On the other side, having routines, traditions and sharing hobbies will bring all members closer which will make disagreements easier to handle.
Family
We crave a connection with our family members but it can be difficult to navigate. The stronger the family bond, the easier it is to overcome disagreements and quarrels. Whether you love the family you were born into or the family you choose, it is important to have them around you for love, encouragement and even conflict.