Love Within the Family

It’s easy to say, “I love my family,” but love within the family is more than these simple words. Family love is a special type of love that comes with its unique feelings, behaviors, challenges, discipline and rewards. Once you understand what it truly is, you can learn how to build family relationships which majority of African families lack by genuine love and care. You may say we love ice cream or going to the Cinema or swimming when what you actually mean is that you enjoy it. Love is of course commonly used to describe romantic or sexual feelings and behaviours.

Family love is about the bonds characterized by deep affection, respect, loyalty, and healthy attachments. Family relationships are different from other types of bonds. Where you can choose children to adopt or bring into your family or choose the person you want to start a family with when you’re an adult, children on the other hand have no choice about who is in the family group. You don’t get to choose your siblings, and you certainly don’t get to choose your parents. Despite these limitations, family love still flourishes. It isn’t always healthy love, but it is a deep connection, nonetheless.

Living in a family unit means sharing the same house, sometimes room and some other necessities. You must share certain belongings, such as dishes, appliances, and furniture. You compete for the other family members’ attention especially that of parents and older siblings. What’s more, to keep that space peaceful, each family member needs to respect the rights of the others to whatever degree is possible. For example, a good amount of infants tend to be rude growing up but the more mature that person gets, the more they’d be mindful of how their behavior affects others.

Your family can provide a strong support system for you. If you have a healthy family love, you contribute by helping other families meet their needs and satisfy their desires. Unless you’re the parent of a child, you don’t take on responsibility for them; you offer your assistance because you want to make their life easier. Building love within the family is a full-time job and sometimes, it might get very stressful. If you find you can’t manage family relationships in a healthy way, talking to an experienced professional before things get out of hands might benefit you.