Family Relations Week 6

Preparing For Marriage

Preparing for marriage is a big step for a man and a woman. I heard marriage can be enjoyable and exciting. However, it is hard work and couples need to work together as a team to keep their marriage strong. In class on Tuesday, we learned about the “Know-Quo” and what it means. There are three lists on what couples can do to spend time together and how to put your marriage first. First, Talk. Which means mutual self-dis-closer. Couples should talk together every day and share their thoughts and feelings with each other. Married couples should openly communicate their view points about certain subjects. Second, togetherness. This means spending time together and doing activities together. If couples have school or work that gets in the way of spending time together, they should make room in their schedule for their spouse. Spending time with your spouse builds a strong relationship and can help you have a good time together. Third, Time. Spend more quality time with your spouse by putting them first. If you make the time to get to know your spouse, you will feel joy, peace, and love. If you put your time with spouse, you will get to know them really well and understand who they are. If married couples know each other extremely well and understand who they are, they will trust their spouses and commit to them at all times.

Marriage can be hard work, but at the same time it can be fun if you make it fun. Remember, always prepare for marriage. Men and women should be prepared financially, have everything planed early before you get married, and practice communicating with your spouse, so that way you are on the same page all the time. Most importantly in marriage, always tell your spouse that you love them, serve them, and enjoy the best moments together. Make your marriage worth it!

Family Relations Week 5

I Love My Siblings!!!!

My classmates and I read “Sisters Give Siblings Better Health.” This article talks about why having siblings is a good idea and what helps each sibling to have a healthy family relationship. Brigham Young University professor, Laura Padilla-Walker, says, “Even after you account for parents’ influence, siblings do matter in unique ways.” She continues by saying, “They give kids something that parents don’t.” I love this quote, because I grew up with older siblings who taught me everything that I need to know in life and how to become a better person. Laura Padilla-Walker states that, “Statistical analyses showed that having a sister protected adolescents from feeling lonely, unloved, guilty, self-conscious and fearful. It didn’t matter whether the sister was younger or older, or how far apart the siblings were agewise.” She also says, “This doesn't mean brothers don't matter. The study found that having a loving sibling of either gender promoted good deeds, such as helping a neighbor or watching out for other kids at school. In fact, loving siblings fostered charitable attitudes more than loving parents did. The relationship between sibling affection and good deeds was twice as strong as that between parenting and good deeds.” In my life, my siblings and I look out for each other, serve each other, and spend time with each other, because we know that family always comes first.

If you want to learn more about the article, go to this website. http://news.byu.edu/archive10-aug-siblings.aspx

In my family, I have one brother and two sisters. They are all amazing and taught me a lot of things about life. My brother, Robert, taught me to have patience whenever my two sisters were bugging me. He taught me to love one another and to enjoy hanging out with the family. My sister, Meghan, taught me how to be independent and how to take care of myself. She taught me how to stand up for myself and have courage. My other sister, Lindsey, taught me how to wear cute clothes and told me where the most popular stores are to shop. She taught me how to enjoy life and to be myself around others.

I have no idea what I would do without my brother, Robert, and my two sisters, Meghan and Lindsey. They are my rocks and we love spending time together. There are times that we drive each other crazy. However, we have learned how to forgive each other and forget all the dumb situations that we fight about. We love each other and we cannot hate each other. My siblings taught me a lot of things about life and how to become a better person. Without my siblings, I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today.

Family Relations Week 4

Does It Matter Where We Came From?

Families have different cultures and lifestyles. Some come from rich families, middle class families, poor families, religious families, non-religious families, and many more. It’s amazing how many families come from very interesting cultures and how they live their lives. It is fun to learn about different families. However, there are some different family cultures who don’t believe other family cultures and will judge them. For example, if you are Christian and you come from a family that believes in Christ, there are some people out there who will judge your religion. Not a lot, but some. Families who have different religions sometimes argue with other families’ beliefs and tell them that they are wrong. It is very sad. There are also families out there who are prejudiced against other social classes.

Say you have tons of money and you came from a very rich family, and went to a school where the students there are not wealthy as you are. Some of the students may not like you, because you come from a family where you have a big house, nice cars, and other nice things. If you are that rich person, you will feel sad and confused because your classmates at school, with different lifestyles from you, want to punish you because of where you came from. I can say it’s called jealousy and kind of selfish. However, not all poor people are like that with other different social classes.

There is a video I want all of you to watch. It is called Tammy’s Story. I think you will learn what this lady went through and how much she is grateful for where she came from and she doesn’t care what other people think about her and her environment.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37ZpauS5Doo

It is all about being grateful for what you have and where you came from. It doesn’t matter what other people think about you and your family’s culture. Be grateful for what you are. Don’t be an ashamed of who you are. Most importantly, DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS. We should not judge other people’s cultures and their lifestyles. We all come from a different social class, but we are all the same people. Don’t worry about other people’s cultures and social classes. Worry about your culture and your lifestyle, and try to be grateful for it.

 

 

Family Relations Week 3

No Family Is Perfect!

Having a perfect family means no negative problems or situations in the family. Every family member is perfect and will never be angry at each other. That is an awesome family to be part of. However, there are some families out there today that are not doing too well. There are some families in the world that are living in abusive homes, doing drugs and alcohol, dealing with unemployment, and having family relationship problems. Children who live with parents that are not getting along with each other, tend to cause the children to think it is their fault that the parents are fighting and the children will feel anxiety at home. Negative family situations will cause family members not to feel peace at home and not to feel loved by family members. Some may have depression, and have trouble imagining what families are supposed to be. This will create negative feedback in the family that will make the children think love isn’t enough for them. This is why we need family therapists today. They can understand the families’ problems and know information and how the situation all started. A family therapist can help regulate parents and children’s emotions, and what family situations hurt them the most. For example, if I was family therapist and I’m sitting across from family members that are going through not getting along with each other, I will do whatever I can to understand each of them, where they are coming from and what they are feeling inside, and give them advice on how to fix it.

It’s important for family therapists to ask each family member questions. Family therapist need to figure out what questions they can truthfully ask the family members that are going through serious problems, like losing a job, doing drugs and alcohol, and having trouble with the law. Here are the questions that you can ask a family member from the “Genograms in Family System” that my classmates and I read for homework before class. “Has anyone in the family had a serious medical or psychological problem? Been depressed? Had anxieties? Fears? Lost control? Has there been physical or sexual abuse? Are there any other problems that worry you? Have there been any recent job changes? Unemployment? How do you like your job? Do you think any members drink too much or have a drug problem? Have any family members ever been arrested? For what? When?” (Page 37). Those questions will help the family therapist know what to do to help the family members and how to get the family to be happy and healthy again. If all the family members keep going to family therapy, it will help them to know how to become a better family and solve their problems and understand each other.

I know deep down that not all families are perfect. There will be times when you have arguments, don’t agree on something, or don’t want to be around each other. However, I know all families can work out their problems and forgive each other. It is important to work together as a team with your family and love them no matter what. Heavenly Father gave us families for a reason; to teach us how to forgive and love one another. Families in the world today should make a goal to fill their homes with peace, love, happiness, joy, and health. This will bring positive feedback to the children and the parents.

    

Family Relations Week 2

Who Doesn’t Love Children???? I Do!!!!!

 This week, I learned from my teacher that there are some people in our population believe that we should not bring many children into this world because there are too many people on the earth. Since “The Population Bomb” by Paul Ehrlich came out, many thought that populations would always grow and nothing will happen. While populations were growing, fertility rates were actually declining. In 1971, the United States fertility rate dropped to below 2.13 children per woman. The 2.13 children per woman is an important number because it is called the replacement fertility rate. With fertility above 2.13 children per woman, populations will grow in the long run. And with fertility below this rate, populations will eventually decline. Many people today think having many children are expensive and you do not need a tradition family. Some parents think having one, two, or three children will be good enough. The size of the family is the choice of the parents.

Heavenly Father’s plan for us is to bring His spirit children to earth. Every child should experience how to learn, work, and serve others on earth. Parents should have the joy bringing children on earth and have happiness in a family. Heavenly Father wants us to not give up bringing children into the world, even though it can be expensive. However, parents can make the decisions and timing when they want to have children. It is between them and the Lord.

Personal:

My goal as a future mother is have a big family. I want my children to live in a safe, peaceful, and happy home. I love kids and they bring happiness to a family. I want to be a good parent to my children throughout their childhood and teenage years, before they go out to the world by themselves. I know that every spirit child wants to come on this earth and to be tested by their Heavenly Father.