There are few potential communication scenarios more strewn with emotional landmines than that between generations, particularly between parents & children (although sibling to sibling can get explosive, too). For so many reasons, on so many levels, effectively given & received straightforward communication is sadly not the norm within families.
Hey, there has to be some use in having gone through the communication challenges that strewn my family life. Some of what I learned from the debacle of trying to communicate with Mom & my sibs might be helpful to others, it might not. But I sure wish someone could have let me know all those years ago that it's normal to run into communication problems. In school, we're taught reading, writing & arithmatic, not basic communication skills. One of the greatest advantages any of us can have is growing up in a family that models effective communication skills - they are rare.
Am very much a work in progress when it comes to honing my communication skills. Praise be, am married to someone whose communication style is more or less compatible with my own. What a difference that makes, how much I have learned from John's ability to listen without commentary, to disagree without being disagreeable. Don't hesitate to post any of your own suggestions for nurturing effective communication.
Perhaps the most important starting point in personal communications is beginning with the shared expectation that everyone involved wants to understand, wants to be able to see other points of view, even when they don't share them. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of yada yada yada.
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