As we get older our need for connections continues but the opportunities to form new and lasting relationships become less. Family ties can make life more meaningful and richer. Blogger Jennifer Wise says it so well. There is POWER in connections. We need each other. We all need a source of strength, a place to belong, and a group of people that we can count on.
Building strong family connections and emotional bonds with children when they are young, with the ability to communicate and support one another is especially important because it gives the them attention they need and makes them feel more understood and loved. Blogger Melissa Peduzzi adds that our family bonds become the building blocks for every other relationship in our lives.
Having been a teacher as well as a parent for many years I have had the privilege of seeing the joy and excitement on the faces of young children as they eagerly move among their classmates passing out and collecting Valentines cards. The value of friendship is learned at a young age. The POWER of connection, community and the need to belong is a strong one.
We soon learn though that friendships may come and go over a lifetime but hopefully your family connections will last and become cherished and dependable friendships, too. I knew that I didn’t want to be just a mom or a parent to my children. I wanted to be their friend. I am not minimizing the significance or the responsibility of the parental role but when you are communicating and interacting now with sons or daughters, consider how much you will all benefit when they are adults from having become friends not just relatives.
The world is fast paced and more technologically connected today. The distractions are endless but valuable patterns of behavior established early in family life will be more likely to be prioritized and maintained throughout a lifetime. Obviously, there are no guarantees, circumstances and events can change and influence family life but even then, there is always comfort and security found in consistency and love.
Taking away chairs recently from my dinner table was hard for me. I had resisted it for a long time even though it made perfect sense. My children have not lived at home for some time. Those chairs are rarely used. We could use the space more efficiently. Our big dogs would welcome more room under the table when we eat. But, those chairs were important to me because they represented those family members that once sat at a full vibrant family hub where we shared experiences. That table was always abundant with laughter and love. It is difficult to let go of some connections in our lives especially when they have brought us comfort and joy. 
By removing those chairs, I was opening myself up once again to inevitable changes, but I was also allowing that space to be filled in new ways. That is the reality of family life. My table may have fewer people at it, but I am thankful that my life still feels full because I have stayed connected with my children and involved in their lives.
I applaud and encourage parents when I hear about or see them doing things with their children. What I discovered is that it is the subtle little things that you do consistently that may have the greatest lasting impact and influence.
So, participate in daily life with your children. Try to be their biggest fan when the opportunity arises and a faithful companion in the quiet routine moments. I tried to have special times with each individual child allowing me to appreciate their uniqueness, create memories and foster each relationship as well as family bonds.
Each of my own children would likely have different recollections of the things we did together to strengthen our relationships in past years. Memories of reading books, playing games, caring for our beloved pet, chick flicks, choosing fun activities from the old potato chip can, and frequent visits to a popular coffee shop with a familiar green symbol come to my mind. I do know that all of us will remember sitting around the dinner table eating, talking, laughing, listening to music, watching TV and of course always doing homework and teachers school work together.
Today it is so much easier with cell phones, internet and social media to stay connected. In the past being separated by distances was a challenge for families wanting to maintain close relationships. My own birth family experienced too many moves and miles apart over the years and that made the ability to support each other difficult and eventually over time communication dwindled. I missed having those kinds of lasting close relationships with my own immediate family.
Active participation and time put into my family life during the childhood and adolescent years has contributed to the quality of our adult relationships. It has been a natural progression and expectation, that now although we lead separate daily lives, we should respect and maintain those important relationships and friendships.
Common interests and memories fondly shared, consistent holiday rituals and traditions, our continued love of reading, books and favorite TV shows to watch, following each other’s personal and professional lives and our enduring love of our pets are some of the things that keep us connected in adult life. Frequent texts, social media, phone or online conversations, visits when there is an opportunity are always appreciated. Lots of photographs and mementos that are found and used in each of our homes bring comforting thoughts and happy memories to all of us. That popular coffee shop with the familiar green symbol remains a favorite “third place” connection destination where we gather and enjoy the company of friends and family.
The important thing is that we spent time together and established lines of communication and emotional bonds that continue today. We feel like we belong and have people we can count on. That’s what family and friends are for. That is the POWER of connections!
Every family is unique and there are infinite possibilities and ways to stay connected. Here are some websites with ideas for you.
Thank you for joining me!
Karen
https://www.aha-now.com/creating-family-connections/ https://lemonlimeadventure.com/top-10-ways-build-family-connections/
https://drethschmit.com/creating-meaningful-family-connections/
https://www.livegrowgive.org/making-connections-using-family-stories/
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