Strengthening Family Relationships (Episode #150)
Getting along in families can be so hard sometimes!! For us, it feels like most of the time! Our tone of our voice makes a huge difference in what and how we are communicating with others. But sometimes it can be hard to even realize we are saying something in an unkind way, and at other times it’s hard to think of a different way to say it.
Our guest today, Lindy Shock from Enoch Studies, is giving us some ideas for how to strengthen our families. She has some great ways to practice kinder ways of saying things so we can improve our interactions in a fun way.
Listen below or through your favorite podcast app!
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Strengthening Family Relationships:
Our tone of our voice makes a huge difference in what and how we are communicating with others. But sometimes it can be hard to even realize we are saying something in an unkind way, and at other times it’s hard to think of a different way to say it.
While it is not good to shove down these negative emotions, it’s not good to throw them around at people either. Here are some ways to try to get your thoughts and feelings across while still strengthening your relationships.
Lindy has created these cute paper cubes, to help with our emotions, that you can download, print and fold at home.
In our families we used these cubes and did some emotion role playing.
An angry emotion might sound like this:
“Get off your screens!” or “Give me my toy, BAM!” or “You get what you get!”
A kinder way of saying this may look like this:
(In a playful tone) “You’re turning into zombies, let’s go play!”
or “Will you please ask before you use my toy?” or “Maybe you can have_____ next time.”
Another important part of communication is picking up on non verbal cues. Teach your kids to take note of facial expressions and intent, body language, etc.
We are going to keep the cubes on our table this week to reference when our kids or ourselves might need to remember a better way of communicating.
Our family can really benefit from practicing kindness and learning how to communicate in a way others are more willing to listen. This in turn can teach them how to communicate with neighbors, school mates, friends, on social media and throughout the world.
Everything feels polarized in the world right now- us against them:
“Neither side is working with the other side: mask vs no mask, Republican vs Democrat. It feels sad and scary when we lose love for each other. That is the very opposite of the City of Enoch. The City of Enoch was unity, helping and love. That doesn’t mean we are all the same, it doesn’t mean we all act like one particular perfect person. It means we take our personalities and our weaknesses and our strengths and we use those together to create unity and love and help lift each other up. We support each other in our strengths.
“We start in our families, then go out and help and support our neighborhoods and our communities and our cities and so on. Most people are good. They are just doing what they think is right for their families. Our experiences give us the views and perspectives that we have.
“Seeing what the other person’s story is. Seeing that and loving that and respecting that. Our experiences create our realities, but we can still be unified in Christ. We can still help and love each other.” - Lindy Shock
“And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” Moses 7:18
Our families and communities are like a cookie recipe. All the ingredients are important. We need everyone for the recipe.
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Story of the City of Enoch for Kids, from the scriptures
Lindy’s activity packet for the Jaredites
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