Relationships with Relatives

Posted on May 9, 2014

Relationships, especially with close relatives and extended families, can guide children as they grow and learn about themselves. The connections they develop with their relations are ships carrying them through the sometimes rough waters of childhood.

By spending just a tad more time with relatives, we give them tools of growth and prepare them to be more socially and emotionally intelligent. These are both keys to life success. But in this modern and spread out world, it is not always easy to develop close relation-ships with our extended families.
So here are two easy tips:
1) If your extended family is far away, have Skype or Facetime dates. Or, create an old fashioned pen pal relationship–children can draw, dictate, or write letters depending on their age.
2) If your extended family is close, set up regular, recurring dates. For instance, every Wednesday evening is dinner at the grandparents or every Saturday morning is board games with an aunt.
As Alison Gopnick writes, “children need more exposure to mud, livestock, and relatives.”
Tell us how you foster relation-ships with your extended family on Facebook and Twitter!