Communications between Parents and Children Essay -- Family Communicat

Healthy family relationships depend on healthy communications there are many ways and times to practice and teach good communication to children. There are many times that without good communication, the parent-child relationship suffers and sometimes ends abruptly. Good communication skills should be taught from birth and continue throughout adulthood. In order to have a good parent/child relationship with open communication, there must also be mutual respect. If there is no respect, the lines of communication will falter. Tom Schwartz states that he knows of â€Å"many cases where children are raised in an atmosphere of dark secrecy about both the matriarchal and patriarchal parts of their families. They grow up with a sense that something must be wrong but fear discussing this with their parents.† (5) Most people have grown up with family secrets, but some secrets can destroy a family. The act of hiding the secret(s) provides an excuse to limit self-disclosure, and reacts negatively on one’s self-esteem. â€Å"Good communication helps keep a family running smoothly and prevents misunderstandings from escalating into conflict or from being buried unresolved.† (Feiden, 68) When these become extremely limited or negative, there is an increased chance of a separation and possible ending of the relationship. The end of the relationship could mean that parent and child no longer talk, or they are forcibly separated for their own health in extreme cases. Unfortunately, â€Å"emotional health can be passed down from generation to generation just as easily as abuse and dysfunction,† (Bloch, 7) making such dysfunctions of communications a continuous process. In cases like this, communication is crucial. The secrets should be shared within the family. ... ...heir lives. Works Cited Bay, Willow, Talking to your Kids in Tough Times, New York: Warner books, 2003 Berenstain, Stan & Jan, What Your Parents Never Told You about Being a Mom or Dad, New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1995 Bloch, Douglas, Positive Self-Talk For Children, New York: Bantam Books, 1993 Children’s Defense Fund. â€Å"The state of America’s children 2008† 2009: 80 Pages. October 30, 2009 . Feiden, Karyn, Raising Responsible Kids, New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1991 Schwartz, PH.D., Allen, â€Å"Family Secrets†, April 25, 2007: 8 pages October 30, 2009, Sturges, Tom, Parking Lot Rules & 75 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Children, New York: Ballantine Books, 2008