Building Stronger Relationships

Living in the same home with your life partner for years and decades can make you take each other for granted instead of nurturing your love for each other. One way to improve your relationship is to acknowledge the positive traits in one another. John M. Gottman, PhD is the author of The Seven Principals For Making Marriage Work has ten steps to make that happen.

• List one trait about your partner you find endearing.
• Describe the first time you met.
• Write down one thing about your partner that you find physically attractive.
• Think of a time when your partner was supportive of you.
• Think of one thing your partner does that makes you proud.
• Describe one belief or value that you share.
• Remember one fun thing you've done together.
• Think of one difficult time you've successfully weathered together.
• Write down a common goal and make an action plan on how you'll get it accomplished.
• Think of one secret about your self only your partner knows.

Doing these activities together and remembering how you have traveled your life journey enduring the struggle should help you appreciate each other more. Rekindle your love and appreciate each others strengths.

Best wishes,

Gina

Creating Memories with Your Family

Spring has finally arrived and your children are out of school on spring break. This is a great time to relax from your rigorous daily schedule and create some memories together. One of the best ways to do this is to share fun activities that you did as a child before there was the internet, Playstations, cell phones, CD's, DVD's, voicemail or email. Travel back in your memory and recall the games played at dusk with your neighborhood friends like flashlight tag, kickball, hide and seek, Hop Scotch, jump rope or Duck . . duck . . Goose!!!

Do you remember sitting on the porch listening to crickets and having a popsicle?? What about running through the sprinkler and having water balloon fights??? Talk to your family about riding your bike, drinking Kool-Aid, and catching fireflies in the evening. The days were full of fun and activity, and when you finally fell into bed you were exhausted from the excitement and laughter. These are the experiences and memories you can pass on to your children with little or no expense and take a break from being a grown up!

Have fun!

Gina

Learning Visualization

Having the symptoms of "spring fever" may want us to run off and take a vacation. Since many of us can not afford to do that try taking a mini vacation in your mind. It can take the stress off even your worst day!

First try and remember a time and place that you found to be pleasant and relaxing. Next take a few minutes and visualize the place in as much detail as possible. This might include temperature, sounds, smells, what you were doing, and who you were with. Practicing this type of visual imagery can help you relax and enjoy each and every day to its' fullest.

Talk to you next week!
Gina

Teaching Your Children About Empathy

Webster defines empathy as "intellectual or emotional identification with another." Developing this emotional intelligence is another skill that some children seem to have a natural insight to when thinking of other people's feelings. Then there are other children who have difficulty seeing outside themselves.

On the news and certain websites teenagers are displaying relational aggression for status and power within their peer groups. These children have no empathy for others. Their world is limited to the power that they feel from their aggression.

If you see your child doing something thoughtless or cruel, let them know right away that you do not feel that was an appropriate response. Be honest and firm about the behavior without belittling the child. Then take the opportunity to teach them the appropriate response. Modeling empathy in your daily life will be the best way for your child to learn how to be kind and think of other people's feelings.

Best wishes,

Gina

Families That Play Together

Spring is around the corner and humans will be leaving their caves to enjoy the weather. This is the perfect time of year for families to work in their yards, ride bikes and explore the local parks together. The University of Minnesota researchers are reporting that families that are physically active together are less likely to have teenagers that smoke, drink, skip school, have sex early, or use drugs, compared to sedentary 7th to 12th graders who watch a lot of TV.

Joining your children in an activity of their choice not only makes everyone healthier but it also builds their self-esteem. Research stated any activity was helpful from dance class to any organized sport. Children who learn to be active at a young age are also more likely to stay with healthy habits as an adult.

Let's get moving and become more active then!!
Have fun together.
Gina