The Power of Talking

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So, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that the idea behind this post came from NBC's new show "Losing it with Jillian."  (I'm a fan of The Biggest Loser and I guess the interest carried over). In addition to helping families lose weight and be more healthy, Jillian comes in and often strengthens family relationships too.

In this particular episode, the father of the family was very emotionally distant from his children and his wife.  He said that he always thought being a good husband and father simply meant bringing home a paycheck - this is what his father had taught him.  The solution they came up with for him?  Talk to your wife and children!

Talking to your wife can do wonders for your relationship.  I mean really talking; setting aside 15-20 minutes each day to "catch up."  This is still something I am trying to do every day, but one thing that has helped us with this is that my wife and I always go to bed at the same time.  We use this time to talk to each other.  Often we don't talk about anything significant - things that happened that day, funny stories about our son, or even just the schedule for the next day.  I find that no matter what we talk about we always feel closer afterward.

In addition, making sure you spend time talking and really listening to your children individually is also very important and impactful. Get to know their interests, fears, desires, goals, etc.  When you do this your children will know you love them and that you will always be there for them.  They will feel like they can come to you with questions and concerns.

so, go and be a better husband and father just by talking!