Family Matters
3,607 FOLLOWERS
Covers articles on family matters, practical parenting, relationships and marriage, personal development, children, education and learning, happiness and self esteem. Family Matters is for parents all around the world, with the aim of making the world a better place, one family at a time. It is written by Ronit Baras, widely recognized as an international Parenting and Happiness Coach.
Family Matters
3y ago
Kids sometimes do things that others don't like. Sometimes, they break things and even hurt others. It's important to help them understand what happened, but parents should never force them to say, "I'm sorry".
I think the idea of saying "sorry" is distorted because of social "expectations" that if someone is hurt, we must have done something to cause it. This makes parents "teach" their kids to say "sorry" even if it comes without actual "sorrow".
It's very easy to see it with young children. They take a game away from another kid (sibling), the other kid cries. Immediately, the parents scol ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
Communication works like a bee. It can produce honey or sting. It's true. Our communication is the tool we have to connect or destroy relationship. To be better parents, we need to develop better communication with our children.
When our kids are born, they have full trust in us. They trust us with their life. They have to, because without us, they would die. Literally.
Over the years, that trust is gradually lost. Not because the kids grow out of it, but because the parents change the way they communicate with their children.
Original post: How to Have Better Communication with Children
Read ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
This week, on the 20th of March, is the international day of happiness. I thought a good way to celebrating it would be to learn how to be happy by looking at the habits of happy people.
We all want to be happy and the search for happiness is gaining serious momentum in the last decade. I'm sure people searched for happiness way before that, but advanced digital technology has made it easier to learn more about happiness.
Happiness is now a science. I focus on happiness in my and help my clients become happier coaching. That's why I call my business Be Happy in LIFE.
Simply put, happy people ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
Resentment is a destructive feeling. We get it from being forced to do things we don't want to do. It comes from feeling powerless. But we can clear away resentment.
We're all born with the disease to please. We learn thorough our parents' behavior, and a set of "rewards" and "punishments". This pressure to do what's expected of us to avoid negative consequences develops a dependency on the approval of others. Later, when we go to school, we take this need to please others to the next level and eventually dedicate our lives to it.
The problem with pleasing others is that every second we spend ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
Family relationships can be hard, let's be honest. We have a relationship with everyone we come in contact with. Some relationships are short. Some are long. Some are intimate, and others not so much. In every relationship, our actions affect the dynamic. We can't just do or say whatever we want, whenever we want.
Why? Because we don't exist in a bubble. Our words have meaning.
It's amazing how many people are never exposed to the concept of effective and thoughtful communication. I find people of all ages coming to my leadership camps and saying, "How has no one ever taught me this?"
Origina ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
Relationship problems are a natural part of life, and usually stems from either or both parties' insecurity. Many people think that if they understand the source of a conflict, they will find a solution more easily. Sometimes, asking "Why?" helps, but often, it can cause more harm than good.
Why?
Because "Seek and you shall find". When someone asks us a question, we activate a mechanism in the brain that searches for an answer. It will not rest until it finds one.
Questions are like playing "fetch" with a dog. Ask, and your mind's "dog" will search for the "ball" (or "stick").
Original post ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
Originally published on 28 Easy Ways to Save Money When You Go Shopping
Shopping was a different experience in the past year. The changes the COVID-19 pandemic caused were good for some, because it was an opportunity to save money. But for others, it increased the shopping costs and left them spending more than ever before.
It's important to understand that we shop to gain a feeling. Even when we buy food, we try to increase our feeling of variety. We could all survive perfectly well on potatoes or bread and butter all day, but that wouldn't satisfy our need for variety.
I remember years ago ..read more
Family Matters
3y ago
Originally published on Domestic Violence is Devastating. We Need to Stop It!
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every part of our daily life. Work, school and social engagements were adjusted to follow the restrictions. But the most troubling change is the huge increase in domestic violence all around the world.
Domestic violence has been damaging our society in more ways than COVID-19 ever will. But no one thinks we should shut down schools, states, airlines, restaurants, gyms or businesses until we eradicate it from our society. And we're going to pay for this long a ..read more
Family Matters
4y ago
As parents, it's natural for us to want to keep our children from feeling what we perceive as negative emotions. We want to keep them from suffering. But as hard as it is to admit, by doing so, we often do more harm than good.
Most people grow up thinking that our purpose in life is to avoid suffering. But it isn't!
We aren't supposed to avoid suffering, we're supposed to manage it. We should never fight it, or even try to control it. We must live with it and find ways to use it to our advantage ..read more
Family Matters
4y ago
January 21 (great date: 21-Jan-21) is International Hugging Day. It also falls during Walk Your Dog Month, which makes it even greater. But this year, with COVID-19 still running wild, let's make sure it's a happy day!
Research has found hugging the most effective anti-depressant. Many experts have written about hugs and their ability to change our chemistry. Touch in general has very healing power.
This year, International Hugging Day will be a bit sad due to the COVID-19. I worry that the forced isolation will disconnect people and that many will forget the hard work of thousands of people ..read more