Communication within a family is important for many reasons, some as mundane as scheduling events and others more emotional such as discussing drugs and sexuality. Family members who converse effectively with one another have higher self esteem and fewer problems in school than those who don't, according to the University of Florida's Department of Family, Youth and Community Services.
Better Grades
There are many ways your family can communicate, depending on the child's age. The family dinner table is a great place for conversation for any age, but is particularly useful to teens. A 2005 Columbia University survey found that teens who ate dinner with the whole family at least five times per week were 40 percent more likely to get As and Bs. Use family dinners to talk with kids about their day, their grades, their successes and their challenges to get the conversation started.
Less Substance Abuse
Children in families that regularly communicate with each other abuse drugs and alcohol less frequently than children in families that don't regularly communicate. Teens who only eat dinner with their families a couple of times per week are three times more likely to try marijuana and 1.5 times more likely to drink alcohol, reports the Columbia University survey.
Other Benefits
Communication in a family is essential in building strong bonds between family members. Strong bonds give kids better self esteem and make them less likely to succumb to peer pressure. Additionally, family communication around infants and toddlers can help them to increase vocabulary, understand facial expressions and absorb adult conversation and cadence.
Communication Suggestions
While family dinners are one way to communicate effectively as a family, any regularly planned daily get-together can benefit the entire family. If schedules keep the family from finding time to eat dinner together, a family breakfast can be substituted. A half hour family game time five nights a week offers time for communication. While some families find it effective to write daily notes or keep a white board with questions and comments in a public place, face-to-face daily conversation offers both regularity and security in communication.
