Do you ever struggle in your relationships with his family, or his with yours? Extended family dynamics can be tricky, especially during the intense togetherness and expectations that are often part of the holidays.
In this episode, multi-award-winning author and global marriage mentor and educator, Ramona Zabriskie and her husband, Dale, speak from their 40+ years of experience in answering a wife who is worried about navigating upcoming decisions about, and encounters with, extended family.
Throw Me a WifeSaver: “What if my husband and I have different ideas about what makes the perfect Christmas? My husband wants to stay home with just us and the children, and I want to be with all my extended family, and we go through this every year.”
Listen and learn how to plot a course and steer your husband and children through any extended family gathering so they feel content and secure throughout, and happy with the experience at the end.
Key Topics:
- A higher way than “compromising”
- Understanding his POV about your family and holiday wishes
- What you should do first before discussing plans with your husband
- How to “check in” with yourself
- The three things to prioritize when spending time with extended family during the holidays
- Seven strategies for managing and making the best of time with extended family as a couple
I love the idea of being the agent of happiness. When with family, it’s so easy for conversations to go to the negative, even if we start off on a good foot, so to speak. Old habits can easily come back even though we had all intentions to keep things light. But going into the family situation with the agent of happiness in mind, I believe can make all the difference, to not get stuck on old hurts and expectations, but keep focused on love.
Thank you!