Slow Families - A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships

PodcastSeason 1
Written By

Richard Jacobs

"Tell someone you love them, every day."

It’s week two of our month of slow relationships, and this episode we’re looking at family: kids, parents, siblings, and all those broader relationships (including friends who feel more like favourite cousins) that make up the family tree. Families are not always neat and tidy, and there are countless ways to create one, but hopefully there will be something in this episode that resonates with you, whatever your family situation.How to slow down family life when you're a parent to young kids is one of the most common questions we're asked, so that's where we begin today's episode. (Non-parents take heart though! We soon move into other family relationships.) We’ve covered slow parenting in many an episode before and you can find links to a lot of those in the show notes below, but we also share a few important reminders and tools here as well:

  • kids are not slow and living slowly with kids can sometimes feel super difficult (to near-impossible)
  • embrace boundaries around your family's time and technology to regain headspace and energy
  • drop the expectations of what a slow family life "should" look like
  • don’t be afraid to say no
  • let boredom happen

Relationships with siblings and parents can be one fraught with past hurts, differences of opinion and vast distances, but many of us still crave closer, deeper connections. This usually requires vulnerability and honesty, and in so many cases we're scared to be the first to take that step. We talk about some ways to start those difficult chats, but come to realise that above all, time is the key. Making and allowing time and creating a safe space for deeper conversations and connections helps to create stronger bonds, and it's in those moments of turning up for people that we build trust, intimacy and the kind of relationships we crave.Of course not every family situation allows space for honest, deep conversations, and we also talk about what to do when there isn’t as much connection within a family. Ben talks a lot about resilience, and the importance of being tolerant, open and then resilient enough to always try to end interactions on a positive note, no matter what the difference of opinions might be. This is easier said than done in some situations, but putting love above differences in opinion isn’t always easy, but it’s a choice we can all make.We finish the episode by getting a little smushy, as we talk about ways to maintain connection when there’s a great physical distance between family, and then share the value of affection within all familial relationships (YES hugs are always on the cards).So what's this week’s action? Tell someone you love them, every day. And let us know how that feels - get in touch on Facebook or Instagram and share the love.

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Or you can listen to the show directly, simply by hitting the Play button above. Enjoy!

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Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

Slow living with kids episodes:

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Slow Friendship - A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships
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Slow Romance - A Deep Dive in to Slow Relationships