By Dr. Jan Hittelman
In our hurried day-to-day lives, it’s easy to lose sight of the frequency, quality, and temperament of our family interactions. Yet, family is so important to each of us. That’s why it’s helpful for us to do an occasional family “check-up”. Here are some questions that when answered will provide you with the information you need to make any necessary family “tune-ups”:
1. How often are we doing fun family activities together?
2. Are we giving our children at least as much positive feedback as negative feedback?
3. Have we had any 1:1 time with our children lately?
4. Does everyone in the family feel comfortable sharing their feelings with each other?
5. Do we treat our children with the same respect we expect from them?
6. Do we discuss issues as a family and include our children’s opinions in resolving conflicts?
7. Do we tell our children that we love them and demonstrate our love in our actions?
8. Do we forgive ourselves for our imperfections as parents, while striving to learn and grow into the best parents we can be?
9. Do we seek out opportunities to learn more about being effective parents and raising happy, well-adjusted children?