FAMILY WELLNESS - OUR HIDDEN TREASURE


A Clinician’s Viewpoint

Why do most drivers drive safely? Because there is a law? Not likely. They do so because it is in their character. How did it get there? That is the big wellness question.

Another example: I love the great songs. I do my best to play them on my piano. The richness of music is one of the vital gems in my life. How did it get in me?

So, now I search for the hidden wellness treasure. My parents and grandparents showed little interest in music. No one played an instrument. Yet, as a teenager I started to teach myself to play the piano. Since then, music has been a big part of my life. Where did this come from?

There was an uncle who played the piano. I would watch as he played the great old songs from sheet music. We never talked about music. My love of music was sown there. Nobody in the family thought about this vital event. It was wellness well hidden.

We each can check this out. All we do is ask ourselves what is really important in my life. For each one, we do a family background check. Who in my greater family has this important life feature? To whom am I indebted?

When we do this we find at least four big parts of our life with direct connection to a parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt. We have put our fingers on the key elements in our life. We have also seen how these gifts have silently, and usually unnoticed, flowed from a family member to me. I have discovered the hidden wellness treasure.

This however, is not the biggest part of the story. The bigger deal is that I now know that the character of our children flows from us and our parents and older generations.

This is where the mud hits the wall. We are responsible for the raising of our kids and grandkids but we haven’t been aware of how it happens. We have read the child care books. Wellness doesn’t come from books. It comes from family life. The real wellness is not street stuff; it is soul stuff. Are we fit for the job?

So what do we do to ensure wellness for our kids and grandkids? First we take stock of the big character traits we have. Is that enough? Then, we need to check all our relatives for their wellness gems.

Enter the Family Wellness Rainbow. It gives a good picture of the full scope of family wellness. That tells us how we are doing. It also tells us where we need work.

As each family searches for its hidden treasures it learns more about how the larger family really works. Using the Rainbow, the family can then get to work where there are gaps in their wellness for their children.

See the Family Wellness Rainbow at www.familycybermall.org and use it for your family’s wellness needs.

WHO IS HELPING FAMILIES WITH THEIR WELLNESS?

A Clinician's Viewpoint

At last count, every family has at least 12 different services all targeted on one element of family wellness:

Schools, Law Enforcement, Banks, Businesses, Governments,

Churches, Agencies, Hospitals, Clubs, Internet, Libraries, Media

How can Joe the plumber find who can help his family's wellness?

Which agency can help him find a wellness balance that is best for his family?

The obvious answer is hardly anybody.  Why?  Because each service is in its own legal, financial and professional specialized world.  These good folks are already too busy struggling with waiting lists and money pressures.

Instead of competing for local funding, these organizations must find new ways to combine their services so that Joe gets help with his family's wellness.

In the end only Joe and his family can figure out what is best for them.   Now they are isolated from the wellness help they need.   More of the specialties can't do the job.  Hopefully some of these organizations will see Joe's family wellness need and shift gears beyond their present specialty.

It would be great for Joe and his family if some community agencies came to an agreement on the combination that makes for wellness.   Could they even turn to the Family Wellness Rainbow as one model?

Why not use the Family Wellness Rainbow model yourself as your guide for your family's wellness needs.  See the Family Wellness Rainbow model at:   www.familycybermall.org.