THE ENEMES OF WELLNESS

FWR Says:  These are enemies of family wellness

While caring and patience are two best friends of wellness there are more than enough enemies

        The Mom or Dad who dominates family discussions

        The doctor who prescribes medication not knowing side effects

        The teen who claims he doesn’t need any more advice

        The lawyer who advises a way to skirt the law

        The Mom who won’t allow the child some of his own way

(Don’t give up, there are more)

        The minister who claims his way is the only way

        The book or TV writer who promotes smut

        The business person who sells stuff people don’t need

        The parents who censor grandparent’s contacts with children

        Parents who put their work ahead of child care

        Parents who don’t match consequences with kid’s misbehaviour

FWR Asks:  Why do the wrong ways always outnumber the good ways?

WELLNESS - THE ANXIETY ASPIRIN

FWR asks: How do we handle all the anxiety?

Anxiety has become more common than the common cold. Why?

New social conditions make us ripe for anxiety. These conditions include economic and media fragmentation of the family. We have lost trust in our social institutions - school, church and government. We live in a society that has become egocentric. We are no longer a stable, caring society.

Here we deal with the big sources of anxiety we face daily. It can come from the road traffic. Relationships at work can make us tense all day. What hits the hardest are family relationships, when things aren’t right at home.

How does the Family Wellness Rainbow help today’s sources?  It asks its six big questions:

• Are we fit? We can control our bodies. Exercise is the best medicine.
• Is there a key relationship that is off track? We can either make the big effort or forget it.
• Are we informed about anxiety? Are we using the internet?
• Are we doing our share for the family? Or, do we just blame one family member?
• Are we living our values? Or, are we flirting with what we know is wrong?
• Are we straight with what we believe? Do we have our own answer to the big question - “What’s it all about?”

The combination of our answers to these six big questions is the main way to deal with anxiety coming from daily life.

Medication usually helps, but it is a band aid. These big six questions and medication equips us to deal with our anxiety. However we tackle anxiety, it takes daily attention.

FWR says: Wellness is the main way to control anxiety coming at us daily

WELLNESS - CLUES FROM KIDS

FWR Says: Let’s listen to what our children say

Of course, we can’t listen to all our kids arguing, raving and tantrums. Beyond these, however, there are pearls of great wisdom. Here is why:

• Kids get to the point using simple, plain language
• They have imaginations that we are losing
• They can point to tender spots in the family that parents miss
• Kids grow when their views are considered seriously
• They say how they feel while we have learned to cover up
• Listening to them takes time which they really need
• They can teach us again how to play
• Their songs, praised, can be with them forever

We parents need to take time to do two of the most vital things with our kids: teach them what they need to know and listen to what they are thinking.

FWR Says: Words from our children can be our most precious gifts