Social relationships are important in one’s life. As no one is an island, you need people who can help you realize the beauty of life and grow while realizing it. Needless to say, the family is the most indispensable, the most influential and the only irreplaceable social circle that anybody has and could ever have.
Keeping the family strong and solid is a must. Sad to say, not all families are able to do this, and some are not able to properly maintain it. Different families have different kinds of situations and levels of relationships, so it might not be so easy for all. There are different backgrounds and personalities within different families, so indeed, it may not be a simple discussion for some. One of the roots of such a difficulty is the lack of teamwork within these families.
Some people do think lightly of the word ‘teamwork’, when in fact, it’s more impactful than you think. It is a crucial element of understanding, unity, harmony and peace inside the home. When there’s teamwork, families can live happily together and can successfully surpass any problem, both big and small.
It’s valuable to nurture the family’s camaraderie particularly while the kids are still young, but you can still do so even when everyone has already grown up. Here are 8 ways to build and strengthen your family’s teamwork.
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1 – Let everyone contribute to doing household chores.
Start with the most practical of all. Let everyone contribute to doing household chores. Since you are all living in the same house, using the same facilities and generally benefitting under one roof, it’s actually obvious that everyone should partake in maintaining it.
Teach the kids how to clean up their toys, wash the dishes, sweep the floor, fold clothes and water the plants. For bigger kiddos and adolescents, teach them how to cook food, clean the car, vacuum and mop the floor, wash and iron garments.
After assigning individual tasks, decide on a chores schedule for everyone to follow. Supervise the younger kids for their safety. Guide the bigger youngsters if ever they need assistance.
Sharing household chores makes getting the tasks done easier and faster. What’s more, this shapes everyone’s handy ability and sense of responsibility, which are both advantageous for personal growth.
2 – Play games and team building activities.
Now, for something extra fun and exciting, play games and activities that will establish and exercise your family’s teamwork. The strengthening effect may be moving subtly and may be disguised under play, but it sure is effective, especially because kids love these pursuits!
Go for team building activities. As the name implies, their objective is to build a team! They will test your intelligence, wit, patience and problem-solving skills as individuals while they will unite you as a group. Sometimes, there are arguments in the middle, but remember that these are just games. Problems and even those arguments during fun games can beef up your family’s teamwork!
3 – Consider every member’s ideas in making family decisions.
Being the heads, the parents are the ones who make all the decisions in the family, especially if the kids are still not able to do that. One good trait of good parents is considering every member’s ideas in making family decisions. Of course, that is if there are family members who already have significant roles on matters and significant opinions on things you’re talking about.
Are you planning to move out of your house and into a new one in a faraway city? Are you thinking about enrolling the teens in a new school next year? Are you looking for a job overseas, which will keep you away from your family for quite a long period of time?
Whatever weighty concern you’re deciding about, which will affect the whole family in one way or a lot of ways, it’s always best to consult your family members. Hear their thoughts and feelings about your plans. Respect them when they’re not the same as yours, and understand why; they surely have a reason. Discuss with an open mind.
When you consider the family’s sentiments, you’re making them know that they matter, that they have a voice, that people in the family can be trusted about their genuine emotions and viewpoints. Furthermore, including your family’s ideas in your final decisions allow you to make decisions that are best for all.
4 – Go and experience the outdoors together.
Inside the house is your comfort zone. You, parents and kids, are all most comfortable in it. It’s where you’re used to staying most of the time. Explore more about the world and about your family by going ang experiencing the outdoors together!
Truth be told, outside the house is like a different realm. If you don’t step out of your door, there are things you won’t learn and experiences you won’t gain. Eat out. Go on adventures. Shop together. Have fun. Discover nature. Run in parks. Play tag. Meet people. Exercise. Take on new fun challenges.
There are countless opportunities to make unforgettable memories together outside the house. By these, you can augment your family’s teamwork because you will understand more about each other’s personalities, specifically the sides of you that only show up when you’re outside the house and around other people.
5 – Form family rules together.
Rules are created to keep order and discipline. Form rules inside the family, and create them together, so that everyone agrees without issue. They can be from the most basic, like avoiding making noise when someone’s studying, to the most crucial matters, such as speaking with respect to everyone all the time.
Doing this promotes teamwork because your mutual goal in generating family rules is to keep the family peaceful and responsible. Naturally, you want everyone to observe these rules, so you will help each other achieve them as well.
6 – Help each other in solving problems.
Problems happen in the family and in every member’s personal life too. They’re the biggest tests in a family’s relationship. Going through them is absolutely difficult, but the family is there for each other through thick and thin. Life problems test you individually as they test you as a team. Nevertheless, all will be better, more bearable and eventually alright, especially when you help each other in solving these problems.
For setbacks that concern the whole family, you should properly communicate. Know the issue. Don’t leave family arguments unattended; don’t let them last long. Be more understanding of each other. Think clearly, and be accountable of your words and actions even when you’re hurt, sad or angry. Work together in finding solutions to your problems.
Meanwhile, for your family’s individual problems, be an open ear and a reliable shoulder. If there are pains and hurts, be ready to listen and comfort. Give the right pieces of advice and assurance. Avoid blaming and worsening the problem at hand.
If you’re the one who has a bothersome problem, you need an outlet to release your worries and heaviness. Reach out to your parents if you’re a child, or to your siblings. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your children if you’re a parent.
When you know you can trust them that they can help you and vice versa, there’s nothing your teamwork can’t do!
7 – Volunteer as a family.
Look for charities and community programs where you can volunteer as a family. Share the love you have to the people you don’t know, to people who are not literally part of your family, to people who need the love of a family. How extra rewarding it is to give time to help the needy, especially when you do it with your beloved family.
8 – Strengthen your spiritual lives.
Faith in God is very important in every person’s life. Similarly, it is essential in the life of a family. The love of the Savior binds the family together. He grants joy, hope, peace and understanding in every home. In every family where God is at the center, unity is found, even through life’s ups and downs.
Strengthen your spiritual life as a family, and you will see how you will grow well as individuals and how your relationship with each other will grow closer and be more meaningful.
God toughens and protects your family, and when you know that because you are close to Him, you will treasure your family and your teamwork more.
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A FAMILY IS A TEAM.
You, who’s reading this, might be a parent or a child. Regardless of who you are in the family, you made the right decision to read and finish this whole piece because everyone must understand that teamwork is more vital than most families think.
Can you believe that the seemingly harmless lack of teamwork has ruined a lot of families? Some fight even to the point of using their own words, money and lawyers to fight each other. Sounds exaggerated? Sounds like a drama plot? It’s true for some families though. That’s because having no teamwork is being divided, which leads to endless misunderstandings, disagreements, fights and breakups. A small division in the family can grow big and can harm the relationship as a whole. It’s something you don’t want to happen to your own family.
A family is a team. The family you have now is your best team. The family you will build in the future will be your best team. Instill in everyone’s heart and mind the importance of well-founded teamwork within the family, so you can all mutually care for your home’s harmony. In the same manner, when the children grow up as responsible adults and build their own homes, they will teach the same and will aim for the same teamwork goals in their new families.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nicole Ann Pore is a writer, an events host and a voice over artist. Quality and well-researched writing is her worthwhile avenue to enlighten and delight others about things that matter. She is a daytime writer for Adams Lawyers, a team of professionals that offer well-rounded service for all legal needs. Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.
