Family Success!

Every family experiences problems, but not all families respond to them in the same way.  That often separates a family that's close from one that's barely holding together.  If we are to grow as families and be successful at home as well as in the other areas of our lives, we must learn to cope with the difficulties we find there.  Here are some strategies to help you with the problem-solving process:

• Attack the problem, never the person.  Always try to be supportive of each other.  Remember, you're all on the same side.  So don't take your frustrations out on people.  Instead, attack the problem.

• Get all the facts.  Nothing can cause more damage than jumping to false conclusions during a crisis.  Don't waste your emotional or physical energy chasing down a wrong problem.  Before you try to find solutions, be sure you know what's really going on.

• Look for the positives in the problem.  Tough things give us a chance to grow.  No matter how bad things look at the moment, just about everything has something positive that comes from it.

• Never withhold love.  No matter how bad things get or how angry you are, never withhold your love from your spouse or children.  Sure, tell them how you feel.   Acknowledge the problems.  But continue loving family members unconditionally through it all.

This last point is the most important of all.  When you feel loved and supported by your family, you can weather nearly any crisis.  And you can truly enjoy success!