Most of the time politics is a subject to be avoided – at all costs – in a group or public setting – or – most definitely, a weekly blog from The Parenting Place.
But I listened recently to a group of House of Representative members – 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans – who call themselves the Problem Solvers Caucus.
They are relatively new members of Congress – and they’re earnest in at least trying to get significant progress made – by actually sharing and listening to each other – hearing each other – and hoping to come to agreements in this manner.
And I felt a sense of hope because that’s what progress and compromise and problem solving is – listening, being heard, examining, respecting, trusting.
And, of course, for me it always comes back to families – our families.
And, in our families, we can do the same. I know how easy it is to have an opinion, a strong opinion, and how hard it is at times to give another’s opinion a listening ear.
But – if we can do one thing to make our relationship and families stronger and more effective – more resourceful and more loving and- our children’s lives more peaceful and more secure-, it is to practice this very type of communicating with one another – listening, hearing, trusting.
Looking for answers together.
It’s called family – it’s called parenting!