Topic
Strategies for managing healthy relationships and keeping communication clear with partners
Date
Attendees
Presenter: Redd, Kathryn E
Other Attendees: Gonzalez, Andrea G Kayla Ford Myra Gibbs Eva Reavley Caroline Enriquez
Discussion Notes
- Activity: Think about a few things that you and your partner do WELL when it comes to communication.
- Make each other laugh a lot!
- Make your life work for what works for you (regardless of traditional roles for each parent)
- Engage each other in interesting conversation (about world events, interesting articles, etc.)
- Try to verbalize how you value each other in front of kids
- Thank each other....thank you for dinner.....thank you for how you handled that situation.....
- Area of Growth in communication
- Need better sleep schedules (to help with clearer communication!)
- We are often perfectionists and sometimes keeps us from
- Need to focus on the positive side of things
- Shutting each other out when
- Remember: your partner cannot read your mind, so you have to TELL them if something is bothering you!
- Let something fester for a long time instead of just talking to partner right away.
- Don't think that the way that you do something if the ONLY/RIGHT way to do something
- If you start comparing, the lists will be uneven and it is a NO WIN! Don't go down that path!
- What the experts say
- Practice I statements (turning criticisms into I statements focusing on feeling)
- Active listening: repeat back what you think you hear them saying and confirming you understand
- Setting aside 5-10 minutes/day for meaningful dialogue
- Learning to be vulnerable with each other
- Discuss/validating feelings in the moment and move to problem solving later
Action items