Families that work well together

Our families are unique. Each one is different, with its own habits, routines and people. But no matter the size or shape of your family, it’s certain that the family is the most important part of a child’s life. It’s where we learn to talk, share and play with others.

So how do you help your family to work well together? We know that healthy families make time to talk and listen to each other, show affection, share responsibilities, and make family time.

Talking with kids is different from talking to other adults – you may need to work out what your child is feeling. Listen without talking over them or jumping in, and try not to criticise. It’s important that your child feels they can talk to you about anything – even the hard stuff. You might need to check that you’ve understood, by repeating what they’ve said in your own words, and show that you’re listening by nodding or making quick comments – “Really?”, “Crikey!”.

Showing affection and encouragement makes your child feel secure and loved. And we all like to be praised for doing something well. It can sometimes feel easier to be critical than to give praise, so try to make an effort to notice positive behaviour and to tell your child when you’ve seen them be good. Catch them being good – the more you praise and encourage good behaviour, the more likely they are to be good again.

The Raising Children Network website has more about families that work well.