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Introduction to Family and Relationship Issues

Family & Relationship Issues

Welcome to our Family and Relationship Issues topic center. Whoever we are, we are all very much shaped by those who raised us, our parents and/or caregivers. We are the product of human relationships, and most of us spend our days within the context of relationships with other people. We need other people to be close to us in our lives, or we tend to get sick. Who we are is very much a function of where we have come from, and who we surround ourselves with.

Despite their vital importance in our lives, relationships can be very difficult to manage. We expect our intimate partners to provide for many of our needs, but often find that differing expectations, frustration, and a need to be right create conditions for conflict and erosion of intimacy. Angels though they may be, our children test us for weaknesses and we don't always pass. Our adult parents grow older and require care, placing a burden on our other responsibilities. A diverse set of communicati...More

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What are healthy communication skills that should be used in relationships with others?

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What are effective conflict resolution skills that should be used in relationships with others?

  • It’s normal to have conflict in relationships, but resolving disagreements in a healthy way creates understanding and brings couples closer together.
  • Learn the 3 most common and ineffective ways conflict is handled in intimate relationships and how to better handle it.
  • Discover 4 strategies will help couples and families balance the needs of others with their own, and make the holiday season more enjoyable for all.
  • In your quest as a parent to help your child understand the difference between good and bad, right and wrong and what it means to be respectful to others, there will inevitably be times when your child resists or you miscommunicate.
  • Repairing damage while disagreeing with your partner can require learning new habits and skills.
  • Whether in a marriage, between parents and children, or among friends, conflict is an inevitable part of any ongoing relationship and the question isn't if there will be conflict but how you will navigate the conflict when it occurs. Here are three skills you can practice to enhance your conflict-resolution and two to avoid.
  • People who remarry find themselves blending two sets of families from former marriages and it's common to find a wife or husband complaining that their new spouse seems to love their biological children more than their new spouse.

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News Articles

  • Cost of Having Baby Puts Many U.S. Families at 'Financial Risk'

    Bringing home a baby should be an exciting and blissful time, but for many new parents, colossal out-of-pocket costs for pregnancy and delivery take the joy out of this milestone. More...

  • Gene Tests Often Reveal Unknown Relatives

    Who hasn't had the urge to trace their roots by buying consumer genetic testing kits? But in a new report, researchers warn that you may come across some unexpected, and potentially troubling, information if you discover relatives this way. More...

  • Severe Illness in Children Brings Hardship for Families

    When a sick child spends time in the intensive care unit, the impact lasts even after the hospital stay is over. More...

  • Severe Illness in a Child Takes Big Toll on Parents, Siblings: Study

    When a child has severe health problems, the suffering often extends to the entire family, new research finds. More...

  • For Many, Holiday Joy Is Shadowed by COVID Fears: Poll

    Stress about the COVID-19 pandemic may be eclipsing holiday joy for many older Americans, a new poll reveals. More...

    • 13 More

    • AHA News: The Pandemic Made It Hard to Stay Connected. Here's How to Reestablish Healthy Relationships.

      It may seem challenging after so many months of distancing to reestablish relationships with family and friends -- and even co-workers as offices reopen. But experts say it's important for your mental and physical health. More...

    • As Holidays Return to Normal, Here's How to De-Stress

      A return to a more normal holiday season may also mean higher stress levels, so an expert offers some coping tips. More...

    • AHA News: Holiday Visits, Even With Vaccines, Are a Balancing Act for Families

      Experts say the key to handling them lies in a combination of understanding risks and benefits, accepting that everyone has different priorities and talking openly about what matters most. More...

    • Grandmother's Brain In Sync With Her Grandkids': Study

      Grandmothers can have a strong bond with the little children in their families -- and the connection even shows up on brain scans, researchers say. More...

    • Still Feeling Nervous About Holiday Gatherings? Survey Finds You're Not Alone

      Researchers from Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center discovered that nearly three-fourths plan to celebrate only with household members, and 46% would require unvaccinated guests to test negative for COVID-19. More...

    • Over 140,000 U.S. Children Have Lost a Caregiver to COVID-19

      It is an excruciating statistic: One in every four COVID-19 deaths in the United States leaves a child without a parent or other caregiver, researchers report. More...

    • Sibling Bullying Carries Long-Term Mental Health Costs

      Bullying by a brother or sister in childhood can have lasting effects, threatening mental health in the teen years, new British research suggests. More...

    • Witnessing Abuse of a Sibling Can Traumatize a Child

      Seeing a parent abuse a sibling can be as traumatizing as watching a parent hurt another parent, a new study finds. More...

    • Pandemic Changed Families' Eating Habits, for Good and Bad: Poll

      Over the past year and a half, the coronavirus pandemic has remade so much of everyday life, including the foods families eat. More...

    • 1.5 Million Kids Worldwide Lost Parent or Other Caregiver to COVID-19

      In yet another finding that illustrates the tragic toll the pandemic has taken on families around the world, a new study shows that 1.5 million children have lost a parent, grandparent or other caregiver to COVID-19. More...

    • Friends, Family Key to Turning a 'No' on Vaccination to a 'Yes'

      Nothing sways a vaccine-hesitant person more than a word with a family member, friend or their own doctor, a new Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll reveals. More...

    • 'Boomerang Kids': When an Adult Child Moves Back Home

      It's a scenario fraught with potential conflict: Moving back home as an adult can be tough -- on both the grown children and their parents. More...

    • Frozen Donor Eggs May Lead to Fewer Births Than Fresh Ones

      But statistics might not tell full story, experts say. More...

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