Families that spend quality time together tend to have at least one thing in common—a good place to hang out. If you’ve ever tried to have a relaxed conversation in an uncomfortable physical setting, you know that it’s almost impossible. Setting up an inviting common space in your home that encourages a combination of quiet activity and conversation can help foster communication and connection.
In today’s over-programmed culture, the idea of eating together as a family may seem quaint if not absurd. But the benefits of breaking bread regularly with others—especially family—are not only intuitively obvious, they’re also being confirmed by research. Healthier eating habits, social skills, family connection and communication, and even weight control are all positive outcomes that can be influenced by family meals.
This series of blogs is designed to serve as a reminder of some basic building blocks for emotional and behavioral health. These are not treatment modalities with fancy names or reams of clinical research. These are simple lifestyle choices that can help you and your family feel and function better.
If your teen or young adult has recently transitioned home from treatment, you may be anxious about the appropriate balance of structure and freedom. According to Dr. Gayle Jensen-Savoie, an executive director for the InnerChange family of therapeutic programs, it’s important to remember that the primary developmental task of young adulthood is to individuate.
The key to effectively balancing confidentiality and sharing is to respectfully involve the student. If they’re not the ones ultimately learning to make decisions about privacy versus sharing, we’re simply not equipping them for young adulthood.
