Friday, May 21, 2010

Family Meeting

There's nothing more entertaining than watching an old couple quibble their way through a grocery store. You can just hear the announcement on the store intercom: food fight in aisle 5. Bring Pepto-Bismal, stat.

A concept I wanted to introduce early on into Teri and my relationship was that of the family meeting. It's not a new idea, certainly. But it is a one that can spell the difference between a functional and dysfunctional relationship.

Teri agreed that we needed a forum where we could talk about anything, bring up any issue that was troubling us, without fear of retribution. My idea? Set aside a few minutes. Get a snack and a beverage. Make the family meeting part of our tradition. Topics can range from vacation planning to boundary issues. The possibilities are infinite.

I wanted to avoid a relationship where passive aggression rules, where the parties stay quiet just to keep the relationship alive, and everyone is tiptoeing on eggshells. Regular family meetings can help a couple avoid food fights.

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