Become the Happiest Family on the Block

I adore Annett Davis and her family. Annett blogs over at Fit Mom Fit Kids Club and truly practices what she preaches. Keith and I love spending time with her family and have never failed to leave their presence inspired. As a matter of fact, the picture above is of Annett and her family and they really do have that much energy!

During this 21-day series on becoming a Happier You, I knew I’d want someone great to write on the topic of building better relationships with your children. Only, I couldn’t do it because Keith and I have not been able to have children and we will celebrate a decade of marriage next year. As the doctors work their magic and try to get our reproductive systems working properly, I will simply enjoy the advice of other wonderful moms. Of which, Annett is one of my absolute favorites.

I hope you enjoy today’s guest post and until tomorrow…make it a great day!

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Today I’m thrilled and honored to share with the wonderful women of The Happy Wives Club! I’ve been a wife for 16 great years. I’m a former pro beach volleyball player, and home schooling mother of two. If you were to ask me what I’m most proud of in life, my answer would be hands down my family relationship.

When I think about our family I giggle inside sometimes. We are not the norm. I’d say we are pretty uncommon. With the rise of single moms, absentee dads, and divorces, we look a lot like the Huxtables. You know, the 80’s TV family who seemed to have it all together. Mom and dad were happy, kids only got in trouble sometimes, but nothing too major. No matter what, before the end of the episode day, everything was worked out.

How do we do it? Well I polled my family and came up with 5 things we thought that help make our family relationship rock.

1. Shut It Down: To be honest with you, this one is the one I struggle with the most. Being a virtual health & fitness coach I’m online a lot. Facebook, Twitter, answering emails, I try to get a lot done during our school breaks. When I’m with my kids I try hard to turn off the computer, and put away the phone to give them the attention they crave and deserve. I try to remember to have eye contact with them so that they see they are more important than my Macbook, iPhone, and iPad.

2. Lighten Up: Both of my kids love this about our family. We make sure we take the time to have fun. Whether it’s a movie night, or game night, we make sure we add family fun to our calendar. Even when we are driving around town we all tell jokes, play silly games, and take turns singing solos to our favorite songs. Kids want to have fun (so do adults) don’t be a sour puss. Get down and dirty on their level, have fun and lighten up. Your kids will LOVE it!

3. Listen Up: It’s important to have quality time within the quantity time that you spend with your kids. Be intentional about asking them questions. Spending time at the dinner table as a family, and tucking your kids in at night are great times to listen to their hearts. Letting them know you are interested in them deepens your relationship.

4. Remember Nobody’s Perfect: Never try to pretend you have it all together. Great relationships stem from transparency. Reveal your shortcomings, admit when you are wrong, and tell them you are sorry often. This builds trust, and shows you aren’t perfect, which allows your kids to be “real”, authentic, healthy imperfect people too.

5. Help Each Other: Ask your kids for their help. They’ll feel needed, and a true part of the family. This empowers them. Helps them grow. And, in turn you’ll realize how valuable they are as a part of the family unit.

Practice these things and your relationships will rock. And you and your family will quickly become known as the happiest family on the block!

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Fawn Weaver

Founder at Happy Wives Club

Fawn Weaver is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of Happy Wives Club: One Woman's Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage, adopting the same name as the Club she founded in 2010. The Happy Wives Club community has grown to include more than 1 million women in over 110 countries around the world. She’s an investor in real estate, tech sector and lifestyle brands. When she’s not writing or working, she's happily doting over her husband of twelve years, Keith (and sometimes manages to do all three simultaneously).