Healthy ties with in-laws

My in laws just came for the 4th of July to visit us. My husband is the oldest, and his parents still have most of their children at home. This was the first time one of their children had hosted them. There were many adjustments to be had on both sides. So the readings this week helped me to be more understanding of where they are coming from, but also realize that it truly is important to have some boundaries between us because our marriage is the first priority. 
One thing that stood out to me was in the first reading about how our in laws and extended family will be a part of our eternal family if we all keep our covenants.Because of this we need to create good relationships with them through love and patience. I hope to do better at this in the future. 
One of my favorite quotes from the reading this week: "Adult married children can improve their relationships with their in-laws by setting boundaries that help ensure their marriage is strong and happy. Having regular contact and communication with in-laws also sends messages that couples value their communication with them . . . Research shows that when daughters-in-law disclose information about themselves, communicate openly, accept differences, use empathy, and push for a relational connection, they can have high-quality relationships with mothers-in-law" (Harper, "Creating healthy ties"). 
This is something I hope to continue to do in the future. I remind myself that although my in-laws are different than my family, they did raise my husband, and I love him more than anyone.  
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