Marriage and Family

Dialogue — The Key to Family Harmony
Great parenting calls for a lot of talk between parents and kids. But day-to-day conversation can easily omit some of the most important areas of life. What’s needed is more dialogue.

Dialogue is a special kind of talking. (See an example.) It should be the basis for all other kinds of communication between parents and kids.

There is probably no finer communication skill than dialogue.

Dialogue is merely asking questions of everyone in the family — out of curiosity — in order to better know and understand one another. Since it is the most comfortable kind of talk, avoiding any kind of conflict or disagreement, it is the backbone of great relationships.

Parents often think that giving lectures is the best way to teach. This is true only when children are very small. As soon as they begin to think for themselves, it is helpful to engage them in dialogue.

Do you want your children to get along, work together and care for one another deeply throughout their lives? This will not happen automatically. A couple of things are needed. One is just spending fun times together. The other is understanding and appreciating one another through dialogue.

There is probably no finer communication skill than dialogue. Therefore, if you and your family learn to do it, you will become more able than most to build warm, loving relationships. Here’s what you need to know to get started:

— Dick Wulf, MSW, LCSW

Dick Wulf is a professional Christian counselor, psychotherapist and clinical social worker with over 37 years of experience. Formerly the program director of the Pikes Peak Mental Health Center in Colorado Springs, Dick is the author of Find Yourself — Give Yourself and the Family Conversation Tool Kits.