Staying close with your family is about much more than being related by blood. Two important ways in which families remain close are by sharing values and participating in family traditions.
Family Values
Family people like Michael Canzian understand that shared family values are very important. The more people relate to one another, the more likely they are to get along with each other and stay close to one another. Therefore, it is no surprise that shared family values can serve to keep family members feeling connected to each other. They can serve as part of the glue that keeps families together.
There are a lot of possible values that families can decide are important to them. For example, a family might decide that kindness is very important to them. Treating others how you would like to be treated, with kindness and respect, can keep family arguments at bay.
Another great value is forgiveness. It is common knowledge that no one is perfect. Therefore when people make mistakes, especially people who you love and are close to you, it is good practice to know when it is acceptable to be forgiving. Of course, some things in life are unforgivable, but practicing forgiveness whenever appropriate is a great family value that can keep families happy.
Yet another great family value is humility. People do not tend to like braggarts or people who are incredibly prideful. Making humility a shared family value, where everyone views each other and treats each other as equals, can make family gatherings and conversations much more positive experiences for everyone involved.
Family Traditions
Another great way families build strong, long-lasting connections among family members is by keeping family traditions. It may not be something you think about often, but families tend to have traditions that they repeat on a yearly basis.
A very common family tradition is for families to get together for holidays. Family members living in several different states will choose a member’s home where they will all meet for a particular holiday and travel there. Once there, they can participate in bonding activities together such as cooking together, eating together, listening to music together, telling each other stories, exchanging gifts with one another, sharing laughs together and more. Traditions like these are another way in which families can remain close. Not only that, but in some cases, traditions can help maintain a family’s connection to their cultural roots.
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