Family members in Africa and America can see and speak with each other without any stress. This seems to be no secret anymore. The fact is that every barrier to effective communication has been removed. However, people still have serious problems with communication. People lack the interpersonal skills and understanding of basic principles for effective communication.
Effective Communication
Today, effective communication is grossly lacking in many homes, and the effects are very glaring. There are increases in cases of dysfunctional homes, turbulent family relationships, divorce, rebellious children, and so on, all as a result of ineffective communication.
In light of the ongoing, we shall be considering communication in the home this month. We shall look at this under the four lessons, namely: the importance and process of communication, types and principles of good communication, building effective spousal communication and building effective parent-child communication.
Communication as a Human Relationship
Communication is the lifeline of any human relationship and the operating language of the family. Everything in the home and family revolves around communication, and the kind of communication that goes on in a family determines, to a large extent, how family members relate with one another. The Bible even shows clearly that our God is an excellent communicator, and He has created us with an innate ability to communicate.
However, the way we communicate and the result we get all depend on what we understand about communication, and if all we appreciate is its importance our relationships. As we lay the foundation for our theme for this month, our discussion today shall focus on the importance and process of communication in the home.
The Importance of Communication in the Home
When thinking of the importance of communication in family relationships, one apt illustration that comes to mind is that of blood in the body. Communication is to family relationships what blood is to life. Just like the nutrients and oxygen that the body needs to be alive are transported to every part of the body by the blood, so does communication convey to every member of the family the essential information that everyone in the home needs to operate efficiently and effectively for the good of the entire family. The importance of communication in the home includes, but is not limited to, the following:
It enhances intimacy in the family
The goal of communication in the home is family intimacy. Communication is essential to all human relationships. It is especially important for developing and maintaining deep intimacy that God designed for family relationships. It is a basic nature of man because we are born with an innate ability to communicate. It is the key to a healthy family life and the wire of a functional family relationship.
It provides a conducive atmosphere for Communication and is essential for proper emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth
We grow as individuals when we learn to interact with the people around us. As we build a relationship of trust within the family, we will be able to reveal who we are and how we think without fear of rejection. We will find in such a relationship a place where we can unwind, relieve our tensions, clarify our thoughts, share our hopes and dreams and express ourselves fully. This kind of open communication can lift us out of loneliness and feelings of isolation and help us to believe that life is worth living.
It helps to foster love and care in the home
Every member of the family has peculiar needs and concerns, which other members can appreciate and respond to. Where there is open and free communication, appreciating and attending to such concerns would be easy, and every member of the family will feel loved and adequately cared for. However, where open communication is lacking, some members may suffer in silence.
It promotes oneness and harmony in the family: Effective communication
It fosters understanding, cooperation and progress in the family. There can be no unity where there is no understanding, and there can be no understanding without effective and open communication. It is essential to realise that even the devil knows about the premium value of communication in the family, and one of his strategies is to hinder effective communication. When family members are set against one another and unable to communicate openly and freely, it will be difficult for members to make any appreciable progress in life.
It ensures the continuity of family values and tradition
The essential way to do this is through effective communication. Parents set examples for their children every day, both good and bad. As children watch their parents, they begin to imbibe the values they see. Children are imitators of everything. They emulate our values and lifestyles. We need to live honest lives with our children and bequeath to them a godly heritage.
It makes the resolution of conflicts: But if good communication exists between members of the family is allowed to fester into huge proportions, hindering family progress.
The Process of Effective Communication
Communication experts tell us that communication is a complex process involving a chain of steps. Atypical communication is said to have at least six components, namely: the sender, the message, the channel, the receiver, feedback and noise/interference.
Every message is usually sent in code. These could be words, gestures, signs, symbols, and so on. To understand the message, the receiver decodes the message in a context, which may be conducive or not. The receiver’s background, experiences and perception all affect the decoding process. Apart from the six components mentioned above, effective speaking and listening affect communication.
Talking and Listening
Communication has three basic parts: talking, listening and understanding. Everyone knows how to talk, but talking does not guarantee communication. Effective communication requires two people to concentrate on the same thing. Effective communication is adjudged to have taken place when there is a response from the receiver. Therefore, the sender must make an effort to ensure that the message is understandable. In other words, what he says, what he means, and what the receiver hears and understands are as close as possible
Listening is the most important part of the communication process and the most difficult to practise. The intended meaning in many messages is usually lost because the receiver did not listen. Most of us would rather talk than listen. However, to decipher the intended meaning of a message, active listening is a necessity of our being.
Hindrances to Effective Communication
In communication, certain things pose as hindrances to effective communication. They include:
- Ambiguity in the message
- Ignorance of the audience
- Temperament
- Eagerness to speak/assumption/dominating discussion
- Negligence in body language
The place of good, helpful and effective communication in the home cannot be over-emphasised. It is the glue that holds all inhuman relationships together. It binds the hearts and souls of family members to one another.
It gives meaning to the covenant that couples jointly make, and it is the key to a healthy family relationship. It is the operating language that connects family members to the past, making the present possible and envisioning the future. Therefore, we should seek ways to keep communication lines open in our homes, as we continue to pray that the Lord helps us to be better communicators.
Principles of communication
Good communication is essential for healthy relationships. Without good and healthy communication, human relationships both at the level of the family unit and the macro-level of society, will be dysfunctional. But good communication not just happens, there are basic principles that we need to know and practise to achieve it.
Unfortunately, many people lack the knowledge of these basic communication principles. This deficiency is responsible for the breakdown of communication in many homes with its attendant problems. Today, we shall look at what constitutes good communication and the helpful principles that we need to embrace so we can practise good communication.
Communication in the Home Communication in the home is how members pass their intentions, expectations, feelings, thoughts, and attitudes across to others. We do this in many different ways.
Types of Communication
Communication is basically in two forms, verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is when we use words to pass our message across to other people. It can be both spoken and written communication. However, many people use the term to describe only spoken communication.
The verbal element of communication is all about the words that you choose, and how they are heard and interpreted. Non-verbal communication is when we use body language to send a message to another person. Researchers have found that non-verbal communication often communicates deeper messages than verbal ones. It is estimated that non-verbal communication accounts for over 80 per cent or more of total communication.
The way we respond with our eyes, face, hands, body and tone of voice can send messages to those around us. Our words, as well as our body language, can communicate acceptance or rejection. We can communicate frustration, pain, joy and anger without saying a word. More related posts can be read on our family page of the site.
