Getting ready for a new year

WITH the year 2017 about to leave us, I hope it has been a good one for you and that it has somehow brought your family closer together. All the joys and sorrows are now part of the family history. The priceless moments created will be valuable when the chips are down. It will be these which will bring back the smiles and laughter when recalled.

As the children grow bigger and taller, so will the challenges of 2018. And there’s no better time to be ready to face those challenges than now. No one can face them alone. It takes a great amount of teamwork, understanding and perseverance from all the family members. There’s a role for everyone.

Let’s begin with dad. As the head of the family, we should be a responsible leader and not a dictator. Our wife and children are God’s gift to us hence we should value them more than anything else in the world.

When things go wrong, we should look at ourselves first before blaming others. We must listen more and talk less. When we do talk, we should use only the best and most respectable language when communicating with them. They deserve our utmost respect and attention for they’re the best thing we’ll ever have.

As for mums, please continue the great work you have been doing. Continue to work together in the most effective manner while making sure that we’re on an aligned rather than conflicting path. As the kids are a year older, we need to be more patient when dealing with their antics. They’re also human beings with their own feelings and aspirations. Let them define their own success and let’s not impose our own version onto them. That said, never give up on guiding and nudging them with love, care and tenderness.

LEVERAGING ON EACH OTHER

We can work together in more ways than we can imagine. For example, if family finance is a concern, don’t make it your worry alone. Involve the whole family, including your little ones, and brainstorm ideas on how to improve the situation.

Lay down all your worries and concerns and find the solutions together. Lead by example. If you have to make do without