Building a Strong and Resilient Family

Recently there has been a great deal of concern expressed about the breakdown of the American family. Another point of view is that American families are diverse, complex, alive, and changing with the times. All families, including single parents, blended families, working couples, and older families, can survive stress and grow closer. One way to do this is to develop their strengths and learn to meet daily pressures and manage life's changes.

Characteristics of Strong Families

Strong families share common characteristics:

·         Commitment to each other

·         Physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness

·         Effective family communication

·         Appreciation of all family members

·         Meaningful and sufficient time together

·         Effective strategies to deal with stress

These family strengths create a sense of togetherness and belonging. At the same time, individual family members develop their own personality, self-esteem, and potential. These strengths help families solve problems and adapt to change. It is more important for families to move toward these strengths than to try to achieve all strengths simultaneously. This process is often called building family strengths.

For details on each characteristic, download the entire publication: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HE/HE32600.pdf