Communication is a big part of family life, but lately you’ve been feeling disconnected. Your partner wants to do other things in the day, whilst you’re feeling restricted because it feels like you’re being saddled with your little one. It’s driving you crazy! What can you do to keep your family on the same page? What’s the key to working together as a family?

Families suffer when there is a breakdown in communication. It’s not good for anyone. For you, your partner, or your little one. But we’ve got some key points you can follow to make sure that everyone feels that their needs are satisfied.

So, how do you go about maintaining the connections between you and your family members?

How can we work together as a family?

The key to working together as a family is to realise that each one of us has needs, and we need to be creative in finding ways that those needs are met. It’s not going to be easy, and there may very well be some compromises, but we can at least start the conversation.

We should give our child some input into how to solve problems. This can be as precise as “What would you like to eat for dinner?” or use broader questions like “What should we do today?”
They might not even need to give a constructive answer, but simple questions like “How do you feel about that?” and “How do we solve this problem?” make them feel valued and part of the conversation.
When their voices feel heard, children are far less likely to be resistant to the day's plans. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re in control. You are always in charge and will have the final say in the matter, but if they’re invited to talk about their opinions and feelings, you might find solutions to problems that you weren’t previously aware of.
Working alongside your partner with flexibility and understanding gives you a better chance of everyone’s needs being met. When it comes to scheduling, both partners need to allow some amount of compromise so that they can be a bit freer. For example, on a weekend afternoon, you might need to do a weekly shop, the child might want to go to the playground, your partner wants a nap, and you want to meet a friend for coffee.
Rather than telling the child “We’ll go to the park if you’re good,” you can make a schedule so that no one has to lose out. You could take the child to the playground before going to the supermarket whilst your partner naps, then your partner looks after the child whilst you meet your friend for coffee. Or, you go to the supermarket whilst your partner has the child, then you let your child play whilst your partner naps and your friend comes round yours for coffee.
There are plenty of variables we can change and tweak so that everyone is satisfied. Of course, there will be times when someone is going to have to give up what they want to do, but it helps to discuss that with your partner before making any blanket decisions.

Our families need to be built on strong connections, and when those connections waver, we tend to feel ignored and doubt ourselves. By working together, we can ensure that those foundations stay strong!

What’s the key to working together as a family?

The key to working together as a family lies in communication, collaboration, and understanding.