Words by Steve Libreri – Social Worker and Parent Coach
Communication within the family is nowadays an important consideration. In an era of technology which is supposedly intended to eradicate all potential barriers to communication, communication breakdown sounds like quite a paradox. However, the frequency of reports and complaints by parents and caregivers about their dissatisfaction with regard to communication issues, suggests that this is in fact a real challenge faced by many families.
Difficult communication seems to be the cause of many family problems. Serious attention to this problem is therefore of utmost importance in order to achieve a positive family experience. When children are young, they absorb the cues given by their environment. This puts considerable responsibility on adults to teach by example and model behaviour.
The ultimate investment in child wellbeing is time and attention, as these give children the reassurance that they are cared for. Time for, and attention to, children also guarantees a sense of nurturing, protection and security. Being still inexperienced, children begin to make sense of the world and form the first rules and ideas about the world through their exchanges with their parents. Therefore making positive plans and interacting with children in a caring way will certainly help in teaching them that their parents are there for them. A steady relationship will form the basis of all communication in the future. So as parents, make your investments early. If your children see you as present and caring, they will reciprocate with a degree of trust necessary for future exchanges.