Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important because they are what gives me purpose and grounds me. Relationships are what give me something to push for and to strive to be better at the things I am doing. They are what make me happy.

These four guys right here are my closest relationships. My husband and my three boys are my whole world!

The relationship with my husband is positive in many ways: we respect each other, communicate well, and genuinely love and want the other to be happy. There are a LOT of factors that when into growing and now maintaining that relationship. To begin with, selflessness was a key factor. We both had to make sure we were putting the other one’s needs above our own. Another factor is constant communication, without that there would be no chance of success. I would say though out of all of it to grow and maintain this type of relationship is just always trying to see the positive and understand the other person.

The relationship with my kids is positive too. We are very open, love to hang out together, and always have a good time. Again, with these relationships it takes work to grow and maintain. Trust is huge in a parent child relationship. They have to trust I have their best interest in mind in order to do the things that, as a parent, I sometimes have to make them do. They have to feel like I am their ‘safe place’ and where they can come with problems and issues in their life. Another factor is respect. They have to respect me and I have to respect them as well.

There are most certainly challenges to developing and maintaining relationships. In my experience one of the most challenging aspects is just communication. It sounds so simple, but really is so very hard. Communication can go wrong very, very fast. It is also something that has to be continuously worked on in ANY relationship. It is not a one time and done thing, but an every day, all the time thing. That is what makes it the most complex.

Relationships impact the ability to be an effective early childhood professional. If someone is having issues at home with their relationships, then they are not able to be 100% mentally there at work. Their mind just is not on the children all the way. It also can cause you to lose your temper easier, get frustrated quicker, cry easier, any emotion will be amplified because the relationships outside of work are not doing well. It is the same for if relationships are going great. That person is going to be more excited to be at work, more positive, and more patient.