Last Updated on August 22, 2024

Are you looking to improve your family dynamics? Let’s take a moment to learn what family, family structure and family dynamics are.

If you regard yourself as a female, and you have two parents and two siblings (one younger brother and one older sister) in your immediate household. In this case, “nuclear family” is your family structure and you play four roles in your family: the daughter to your two parents, an older sister to your younger brother, and a younger sister to your older sister respectively.

the Definition of Family

According to HRSA, the definition of family is “a group of two or more persons related by birth, marriage or adoption who live together; and these people are considered as members of one family”. Cambridge Dictionary, however, defines family as a social group of parents, children, and sometimes grandparents, uncles, aunts and others who are related to an individual by blood. From my perspective, a family can be regarded as a blood family (including adoptive family) and chosen family. In other words, a family that we were born to (or being adopted) and a family of choice.

the Family Structure

There are 6 types of most common family structures, which are nuclear family, single parent family, extended family, childless or child-free family, blended family, and grandparent family (Blessing, 2019).

Instant Family, released in 2018, written by Sean Anders and John Morris and directed by Sean Anders, certainly helped to elucidate the sophistication of foster care and adoption in a humorous, though a little bit overdramatic way.

The leading actor and actress, Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, portrayed a family of two, whose desire is to add new members to their family. If you have never heard of the term “family dynamics”, I would recommend watching this family comedy-drama to gain insights into what family dynamics can look like when forming a new family relationship.

the Family Dynamics

The relationship between you and your spouse, you and your mom(s), you and your dad(s), you and your aunt(s), uncle(s), grandparent(s), you and your in law(s), you and your sibling(s), etc. is not identical. Therefore, the patterns of interactions among these people in your family are called family dynamics. And each family has its own unique family dynamic.

In order to better communicate with your family members, understanding what your role is and how you would speak and act around them is crucial. The golden rule in communication is to show empathy.

3 Simple Ways to improve family dynamics

Did you know many fundamental family issues result from a lack of communication? Hence, looking at all the underlying causes of the conflict is indispensable to healthy relationships. If you are looking for more support from Berelevant Network, feel free to check out our private and group life and personal development coaching sessions or reach out to us for more information.

1. Improve family relationships by Active Listening

Do you give your loved ones sufficient time to express their thoughts and feelings? Do you read their body language? How do you interpret their facial expressions? To achieve a different outcome, the first step is to enhance the quality of each conversation through active listening. For instance, making clarification whenever needed and only responding to others when you fully understand what they mean.

2. Learn Empathy to enhance family dynamics

I believe standing in other’s shoes is a skill rather than a personality trait. Empathy is a skill that everyone needs. That said, everyone is capable of learning to be an empathetic person if you put your mind to it. When you and your family learn to listen attentively and find a better way to understand each other, your family dynamic will thus be improved.

3. Quality of family interactions: Show Appreciation

How often do you show your love and affection to your family by simply thanking them for being there for you? Showing appreciation verbally or physically is one of the simplest ways to make the other person feel they belong. When you make your family members feel appreciated, they are also more likely to feel content. This feeling will revamp your family dynamic, resulting in a long period of peace and stability in your household.

In conclusion, no matter how a family is formed, as long as it provides a sense of belonging and acceptance to build and maintain a positive family dynamic – it will go a long way.

References

Health Resources and Services Administration. (2022, March). Definition of Family. https://www.hrsa.gov/get-health-care/affordable/hill-burton/family#:~:text=Family%3A%20A%20family%20is%20a,as%20members%20of%20one%20family

Family. (n.d.). Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/family

Blessing, M. (2019, July 18). Types of Family Structures. Love to know. https://family.lovetoknow.com/about-family-values/types-family-structures

Instant Family. (n.d.). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7401588/