Family

Getting along with every single member of your family is not easy. One of the most common obstacles getting in the way is lack of trust. If a family member does not trust you at all, or does not trust…
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How to cope when your mother is an alcoholic  A young child having to cope with a mother who is an alcoholic is too much too ask of a child who is supposed to be taken care of by his…
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Abuse in a family is frequently hidden in a closet. Oftentimes, those outside the family’s four walls are totally unaware of it. Meanwhile, abuse slowly sucks enthusiasm and happiness from each member’s life. Generally abuse is carried from generation to…
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If you want to know what the effects of having an alcoholic parent are then I will tell you. It’s not easy. Actually it was very difficult being the child of an alcoholic. When I was a little girl, I…
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How would you define a healthy relationship with your children? To most parents this is defined by how well we are able to communicate with them, how comfortable our child feels talking to us and the trust and respect we…
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When loosing a close relationship with a teen, it can make a parent feel like they have lost their best friend. Another similarity is feeling like you have a roommate instead of the warm and close camaraderie of sharing in…
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Apparently this is one of the coldest winters on record, at least in Northern Ireland, the small squiggle on the globe that this writer hails from.  Government councils were completely caught off guard when the first blustering blizzard blanketed the…
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Help with the emotions around the holidays typically focuses on the “Holiday Blues”, but there is very little press regarding the tension and conflicts that erupt during this time of year.  Relationships are like the proverbial canary in the mine…
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Tips for learning better family communication skills are important in order for a family to stay in tune with each other. When a child or teenager says he will “be back later”, to a parent it could mean in an…
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While Christmas is meant to be a joyful time, family tensions are often high during this holiday. There is a lot of pressure, after all. Parents feel pressure to give the right gifts to their kids. Family dynamics flare up…
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No woman is every prepared to become the single mother with three kids. Nothing tears apart a woman harder than having to raise children by herself. Although this lesson makes women stronger it sends a bad message to our boys….
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Family estrangement is painful. Sometimes it is puzzling. It can hold tons of anger. What it often all boils down to is misunderstanding and miscommunication. When we think back to the various family estrangements of which we are aware, there…
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We all like the idea of having control over our environment and what happens to us. But when we speak of someone being controlling in their relationships, we are talking about a person who tries to restrict their loved ones’…
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The 2009 Holiday Season has just ended and family dysfunction continues to overshadow many of our lives. It is a shame, isn’t it? To walk into your mother’s kitchen, hug her, and know you would rather be elsewhere. Additionally, your…
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When I think of judgmental family members, I immediately think of mom. Not just my mom, though she can be judgmental, but I mean the archetypal “MOM.” Something happens to a woman when she becomes a mother. She can’t help…
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Lies create barriers. They instantly separate people into an inner circle which knows the truth and those left outside its walls. The effects of lying are especially damaging when these lines are drawn through a family or between a family…
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When relatives have a falling out, the rest of the family can suffer. Perhaps the argument was so bad that the family members don’t speak anymore and are not close. This can worsen the strain on the entire family and…
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Kids should have to worry about the following things: Do I have someone to play with?  Can I get my homework done?  As they get older, they may turn to more grave matters such as:  Is it obvious I’m getting…
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When you judge someone else, you define yourself, not them. (Paraphrased from Dr. Wayne Dyer.) During the course of my life I have tended to be a very opinionated person. For those on the receiving end of my strong opinions,…
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Families of alcoholics have Al-anon to help them cope with the addict. There should be a similar one for relationships, where people can meet and share good practice and practical approaches to family/ relationship problems. Many parents meet at various…
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I blame a lot on my parents. We were loud, judgmental and crass. We were unforgiving, stubborn and emotional. A cousin of mine once said that it was not a family gathering at my house unless “someone laughed, someone cried…
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Let’s face it – getting spanked isn’t the most enjoyable thing for a child to experience. Due to their limited thinking abilities, they have no comprehension of crime and punishment, and this often leads to children trying to get away…
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When I was twelve years old my mother became pregnant with her fourth child. Two years prior she had given birth to my baby brother, Jesse. I was elated with my brother Jesse’s birth. I exploded with the news of…
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The betrayal of family members by lying is one of the most devastating things to a relationship that can happen. Lying is is the equivalent of making a withdrawal from an emotional bank account. Without regular deposits of honesty, love,…
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Many families harbor dangerous secrets, that if exposed may humiliate and bring shame to the family. Some of these secrets may be circumstances beyond anyone’s control, yet the family still does not want to reveal the secrets. The secrets can…
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Family counseling can provide a needed outside perspective to navigate financial challenges, behavior needs for a child, or help a family make adjustments due to issues like divorce or adoption. Families have options ranging from private counselors, community-based counseling, and…
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Here in Australia it’s the beginning of a new school year. Our little boy is in grade 1. Thankfully his school uniform clothing from kindy still fits him and is still in good condition. However, he did need a new…
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Children are not born with the knowledge of right and wrong and it is the parent’s responsibility to teach them what is acceptable in society. I have been a mother for twelve years to four daughters. Before I had children,…
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There are problems in every family and every couple goes through rough patches in their relationship, but the way we handle different circumstances will define what kind of relationship you will have. Sooner or later you will be faced with…
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Communication issues: never send a family member to the store for something you want This has probably happened to many of us who has put trust in a family member to grab something from the grocery store or mall when…
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