We all need our families to be a haven and a refuge from the harsh world. Having someone close to confide in, be it your siblings, parents or partners, is the most comforting and liberating thing in the world but it seldom comes easily. To have it, you need to invest time and effort into building a relationship based on trust, honesty, and understanding with your family.
Hardships befall everyone and when they do, it’s the family that most people turn to for support. Unfortunately, tragedies are sometimes too big and overwhelming that they affect the entire family. In those times, everyone needs to be supportive and considerate of everyone else, which is not an easy task. Here are some ways that can help you achieve that.
Stand united
The adults in the family are the ones who determine the course of action when the crisis strikes and they usually take the lead in helping other members find their solid ground. However, this doesn’t mean they too don’t need any support. It’s important for the whole family to stand united, set any existing differences aside and work together to make it through the difficult times. This will help strengthen the family bonds that will last long after the crisis has passed.
Be a good listener
A great part of being there for your family in crisis is listening to them. By giving them your time and undivided attention, you help them unload some of their burdens and feel better, if only for a short time. But, you need to be careful about how you do it and always be aware of your boundaries. If you’re there to lend an ear, then listen and don’t talk about yourself or be patronizing. That must be the worst time to give any lectures as much as it’s dangerous to give them false hope and assurance that everything will be alright.
What is best is to try and be compassionate and empathetic and allow people to talk about their troubles freely. Offer advice only if you’re asked to. If not, it’ll be enough just to be there for them and listen.
Reach out to experts
Even if you have a supportive family, sometimes it’s necessary to reach out to outside help and turn to experts. Whether it’s a psychiatrist, a spiritual counselor or an attorney, a knowledgeable professional might just be instrumental in resolving the crisis. For instance, if a family member can’t work anymore due to an illness or serious injury, getting the advice and help from expert superannuation lawyers can help determine if they’ re eligible to claim superannuation insurance benefits that provide protection in such circumstances. You might not be able to help your loved one directly, but being able to find help when needed is an invaluable form of support.
Don’t forget the kids
No matter how hard you try, children can never be completely sheltered from a crisis their family is going through, nor should they. Quite the contrary, the kids need to know that difficult things happen in life and that once they grow up, they’ll have their own share of troubles to deal with. So, it’s important to involve them but without burdening them more that it’s necessary. You can do this by making sure, as much as possible, they stick to their daily routines and that you maintain a strong relationship with your child in play and conversation. The better their understanding of the family situation, the better they’ll be equipped to cope with problems in the future.
Keep a positive attitude
There’s always a silver lining in every situation so by staying positive, you can help everyone feel less overwhelmed by the situation. Count your blessings every day, think of the even smallest things that made you smile on that day and try to celebrate them. Be flexible, take the days as they come and work with what you have to keep the spirits up. At the end of the day, keep in mind that you all still have each other.
Tough times don’t last forever but they are times when families grow closer together by finding comfort and support in each other.
