“Is that any way to talk to your mother?”

Sounds familiar?  If your father was anything like mine, you may have heard this phrase (or one like it) quite often as a child.  Score one for your parents if they actively and purposefully established rules for respectful communication in your household.

The communication styles children develop at home are the template for interpersonal relationships throughout their lifetime.  Parents who teach their children to express emotions respectfully and assertively lay a foundation for healthy socialization and successful relationships.

Score bonus points if your parents not only talked the talk, but also walked the walk.  When it comes to constructive communication within a family, parents who role model respectful interactions with each other strengthen the core of their entire family.

In the upcoming series of Blog Postings, we’ll discuss the importance of Constructive Communication in Relationships and Families and include easy-to-follow strategies, tips and skill practice for the following:

• Effective Listening
• Giving and Receiving Compliments
• Understanding Passive, Aggressive, and Assertive Communication
• Managing Passive Aggressive Communication
• Practicing Assertive Communication
• Using ”I Messages”  & Avoiding “You Messages”
• Expressing Anger Effectively
• Responding to Anger Effectively
• Communicating Non-Verbally
• Making & Refusing Requests
• Accepting Criticism & Disagreeing Appropriately
• Problem Solving Strategies

What strengths do you bring to the table when it comes to communicating with loved ones?  What are the main challenges you face in your day-to-day interactions with those closest to you?

As we move into our first topic on Effective Listening, please consider the following:

1. How do you let someone else know you are listening to them?
2. How does it make you feel when someone doesn’t listen to what you are saying?
3. How would you like others to listen to you?

In this and all future Blog postings, I invite you to post your thoughts, experiences, reactions and ideas so that this can become a dynamic, interactive place for Humanity Alive visitors to share.