Posted by Devin McGlynn on 4/9/2013 to
If you feel like you’re on a different planet than your spouse or kids, here are some tips to improve communication within your family:
- Set a time for a weekly meeting. You can meet even when there aren't problems, but this will establish a routine and a set time for everyone to get together and work through any problems.
- Realize that each person has his/her own communication styles: One family member may soften when you touch her; another family member may calm down when you acknowledge her point of view. Find out what is important to each person and communicate in his/her language.
- Finally, communicate about problems after they have occurred and you've had time to collect your thoughts. If there is mis-communication it’s helpful to allow some time to go by so that each party can calm down.
Stephanie Mansour, CEO of Step It Up with Steph, is a Health & Fitness Expert and Body Image & Confidence Coach. As a certified personal trainer, yoga instructor, Pilates instructor, and life coach, Stephanie has been featured on CNN, AOL, and more for her realistic and holistic approach to health & fitness. She coaches women through her virtual 30 Day Jumpstart Program, and recently trained her client to lose 83 lbs in 12 weeks on NBC Chicago!