Have you experienced a breakdown of communication in your family? There are times in every couple or family when communication can be very challenging. Many of our “natural” responses are actually communication stoppers. There are steps we can take before communication breaks down. In the intersection of our busy family lives, a good tip is the one we teach little children learning to cross a busy intersection:
Stop….Look….Listen.
Stop: When we stop what we are doing, we can give someone our whole attention.
Look: Good eye contact says, “It is important for me to hear what you have to say.”
Listen: Something profound happens when we listen from the heart to discover something new that we never knew before about a family member.
By taking some simple steps, we can improve communication in our families before it breaks down.