thank goodness for boundaries...

There are different types of relationships within the family unit and different kinds of boundaries.  One kind is a clear boundary, where things between mom and dad stay between them and the kids aren't apart of the decision-making process.  Then there's rigid boundaries where the parents can't talk about anything, they make decisions on their own and kids are definitely aware of the tension.  And finally there's diffuse boundaries, which aren't really boundaries at all.  This is when parents fight with each other about things and vent to the kids, or any other party about each other.  Think about your family.  Are there more than one kind of boundary going on?  Most cases, the answer to this question will be yes.  When I think of my family, there are definite clear boundaries with my parents, but when it comes to grandparents and some siblings, diffused boundaries come into play and our family can get a whole lot closer, and not necessarily in a good way.  This is where a whole lot of family drama can come into play.  Everyone loves some good wholesome drama, right?  (not me, but some people really thrive off that! weird...)  Next time family contentions arise, think about the boundaries that are in place in your family, they'll probably be to blame!

trends these days...

There's a handful of trends that have been happening in regards to families the last few years and they're getting more and more common.  Which could be problematic, it's up to you to decide.  Here's just a few, I think they might be interlinked as many trends can be... Premarital sex, unwed births, mothers working, and postponing marriage.  All of these trends are getting more and more common, and I can't help but think that it looks like a chain reaction.  For example, fooling around with guys and getting pregnant will lead to having a baby without being married, which will lead to a single mother working to support her baby, which will lead to wanting to postpone marriage and focus on the little one at home.  Then, the little one will grow up feeling neglected because mommy's always working and they will rebel, get a reckless boyfriend with a car and the whole cycle will repeat.  Ok, ok, I know this doesn't happen with every case, I'm being a little extreme, but it's not unreasonable!  What do YOU think about these trends?  Are they something we should worry about?  Or should we sweep them under the rug with yesterday's crumbs?
~Brooke

Testing, testing, 1-2-3