Parents: Whether they’re still alive or long since passed, biological or adopted, our parents were the first people to teach us about relationships. How can you cultivate a stronger, healthier relationship with them? How can you reconcile your past with your present and future?
I haven’t always had the best relationships with my parents, but I think that translates into everyone’s pasts with parents to varying extents. I think the best way to approach it is to treat them as adults — to treat them with the same respect I’d expect and to remember that I’m an adult now as well. I’ve got my own family now, a job, bills to pay, and responsibilities. Unfortunately, a lot of times my obligations and responsibilities get in the way of communication with my parents — and that leaves me feeling inadequate.
I think the most prudent way to cultivate better relationships with my parents should be to schedule regular phone calls to keep in touch. I know what days are typically good mutually, so I might as well make a habit of calling them — instead of feeling awful at the end of day off because I didn’t get to call them. I know that they’d appreciate it, and I could involve my children in the phone call as well.
I’m also awful at budgeting to send anything. I need to quit that. I need to return the favor of sending gifts for birthdays. There’s got to be a small portion of our budget that I can save and use for them.
