The importance of family

/ Published in General

It is important for families, no matter what their structure, to ask themselves about the meaning of being together.

An important question is:

What do family members have to learn from each other?

Families may want to ask themselves who they are as a whole system and how each member feels about the way the system is arranged in terms of roles, privileges and expectations.

Many families focus easily on external goals and understand the importance of material goals.  It is equally important for family members to understand the purposes of being together.

What is the purpose of our family being together and do all members understand what this means and its relevance?

  • Do we have fun together?
  • Do we learn from each other?
  • Do we help each other?
  • Do we discuss and connect with each other?
  • Do we respect each other?
  • Do we help each other to develop and mature?
  • Do we judge each other?

Families need support for all aspects of their existence, including the physical and emotional.

In our ever changing world, people feel isolated and out of touch with the deeper sense of meaning in life.

My own view is that the future of family life depends on each individual family member having the ability to remain aware of what is happening in the family dynamics.

We can be conscious facilitators of family change if there is proper negotiation and communication and respect for individual differences.

Relationships are never easy.

Vital relationships depend on devotion, energy and awareness.

My name is Wendy O’Hanlon. I grew up on the North Shore in Sydney and went to Pymble Public School until the age of 8. I then went to PLC Ingleholme until year 6 and then transferred to the main school at PLC Pymble for my High School Years. I loved going to school and always felt that my school was an extension of my family. I felt I belonged. My passion from an early age was to teach and I followed this passion, first by attending Teacher’s College and then Macquarie University where I obtained a BA DIPED and had also majored in English and Linguistics. I have taught in a variety of schools in the Catholic System, Private System and with the Department of Education. I have also attended a two year course in Process Psychology and I have also completed a Certificate 1V in Training and Assessment. I also trained with “I Can Read” and teach with I Can Read Centres in Sydney.

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