Sunday, January 20, 2013

10 Essential Family Values

Top 10 Essential Family Value

How do you define family values?
Strong and consistent family values are important in building trust and confidence in each family member.

Here are my top 10 essential family values.
1. Belonging. It is important that each member of my family feel that they are loved, that they belong and that they matter.

2. Flexibility.  Too much structure and the unwillingness to give a little can result in a lot of unhappiness and resentment. The more flexibility you have in decision making, for example, the happier your family will be for it.

3. Respect.  Respecting each other is to take feelings, thoughts, needs, and preferences in to account when making decisions. It also means acknowledging and valuing everyone’s thoughts, feelings and contributions to the family as a whole.

4. Honesty. This is the foundation of any relationships that are meant to last. Mother-daughter, husband-wife, sister-brother. Without honesty a deeper connection will not form and certainly won’t last.

5. Forgiveness. Forgiving people who have wronged you is an important choice to make. Yes, forgiveness is a choice.
 Get issues out in the open, gain some understanding and move on. Life is too short.

6. Generosity. Giving without thinking “what’s in it for me” is an important value for anyone wanting to be a responsible, contributing member to society. Through generosity we build empathy since we tend to think more about what people want or need.

7. Curiosity. Children have a natural curiosity. If you’ve ever watched a toddler even for a couple of minutes you’d see that quality shine through. For some that curiosity wanes. I think it’s important to encourage and push our kids and even ourselves to be curious about things.

8. Communication.  A failure to communicate will likely lead to unhappiness and misunderstandings. Small issues grow into larger ones and when they eventually boil to the surface it’s unlikely they will be resolved calmly.
I would argue that this is the most important value for families to have. When people feel they can talk openly about anything – hopes, dreams, fears, successes or failures – all without judgment, it’s encouraging and strengthens the bond.

9. Responsibility.  Responsibility is something that is learned. As a child you may have been shown how to put your toys away after playing, how to tidy your room or how and when to feed the dog. This sense of responsibility extends well into adulthood.

10. Traditions.  I think traditions are what make a family unique, they draw people together and create a sense of belonging for everyone.  If you don’t currently have traditions in your family, create them! All traditions started with one person why not let your family traditions start with you? Get creative and have fun.

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