Almost all things that can affect a human’s growth and development come from their family. From the moment they are born, all of the earliest experiences, circumstances, and living environment a child has is dictated by their family. Family also dictates a human’s genetic makeup, which affects many aspects of their life. This is how the functions of a family can support and impact a human’s development, especially concerning their independence, confidence, responsibility, and trust.

The family is the only social relationship a person can have that is not decided by them but is what they are born with. It is the first social group where a person undergoes the formation of their personality, social skills, and upbringing. Essentially, the family is the foundation of a person ^[1]. A family needs many things to promote healthy development for their children; some of the most important are:  A Positive Relationship, Strong Bonds, and Family Stability.

A POSITIVE FAMILY RELATIONSHIP

A positive relationship between family members is a crucial aspect of the development of a person. A positive relationship established through a warm and loving family can help create an environment that fosters a child’s confidence. This confidence allows them to try new things and learn to explore the world.

A positive family relationship is built through healthy habits, such as maintaining proper communication channels. Through good communication, there is a healthy exchange between both parties involved. This makes it easier to solve family conflicts, fix problems, and establish and respect opinions.

In order to foster a positive family relationship, there are many things that can be done; these are just some of them: spending quality time, establishing proper communication channels, promoting teamwork, and appreciating each other. ^[2]

CONSISTENTLY STRONG BONDS

Establishing strong familial bonds naturally follows a positive relationship between the members; however, consistency is critical in maintaining these bonds. When a positive and healthy relationship is established, it can then be fortified into strong family bonds that will help the children grow into happy and well-balanced adults that are poised to succeed.

To determine whether a family has strong bonds, look out for these qualities: an affectionate family that communicates well, a family that shares activities and has a sense of togetherness, a family with pillars of support and acceptance with established boundaries, and finally, a family that is committed and connected through spiritual devotion. ^[3]

FAMILY STABILITY

Multiple studies have associated family instability negatively with child development. It also showed that those who grow under families that experience family structure transitions also perform worse.

Essentially, when a family has a stable structure during the early years of a child’s life, they are more likely to develop better. However, this does not mean that it is a universal fact that those that experience unstable family structures result in undeveloped children.^[4]

Families that also experience familial transition changes do not automatically experience family instability. For example, not all stepparents become terror stepparents to their stepchildren. Some develop fraternal or maternal love for their stepchildren as if they were their own children.

DEVELOPMENT OF TEENS AND ADULTS

During the early yours of adolescent growth, teenagers undergo rapid physical changes to their body and increased hormonal production leading to sensitive, emotional natures. To effectively handle this, the family must remain a safe and secure space in which the growing children can confide. This will help improve their self-esteem, and the children will be able to construct themselves positively.

Once they reach the end of their growth period, they will become a more mature version of themselves, and dealing with them will be much easier. ^[5] Upon adulthood, if positive family relationships, strong bonds, and family stability is maintained, they will become confident, independent, responsible, and trustworthy adults.

THE FAMILY AND ITS IMPACT

In a nutshell, the family is the leading and primary source of all the experiences, circumstances, and environments that a child can have before they are thrust into adolescence and, eventually, adulthood. A fully functioning family that can maintain a positive and healthy relationship, develop consistently strong bonds, and remain formidable in its structure, will often yield children that will be well-rounded and compassionate. Upon starting a family of their own, these children will also be able to pass this on to their future families.

If the dynamics and nature of a family and its connections are intriguing, Virginia Degner wrote a book that deals with the aftermath of a familial tragedy. With family placed at the forefront of the book, the reader will see how the main character explores her connection her with family and her relationships with them. The book is called “Without Consent” and a copy of the book is available for purchase at Amazon.

Featured image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cheerful-family-having-party-in-backyard-5638676/

REFERENCES USED:

[1]

http://research.rs/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Mandi%C4%87-engl-8.pdf

[2]

https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/family-life/routines-rituals-relationships/good-family-relationships#:~:text=Children%20feel%20secure%20and%20loved,and%20appreciation%20of%20each%20other.

[3]

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/family-relationship-importance-and-how-to-build-healthy-relationships/#Characteristics_of_a_Strong_Family

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5948107/#:~:text=Family%20structure%20experiences%20matter%20for,their%20relationships%20with%20their%20caregivers.

[5] https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teens/communicating-relationships/family-relationships/relationships-with-parents-ten