Interdependence vs. Independence

Do you have a Declaration of Interdependence?

You need one! What does that mean? It means that you are committed to your role as a mother or a father. It means that your family is committed to their roles as big sister or big brother. It means that each of you will strive to meet the needs of the family members to build a unified force. When families do not meet each others needs, they turn outward to friends, coworkers, drugs/alcohol, and even cults in order have those needs met. They have felt rejection from their own family and are forced outward and they become independent of the family. There needs to be respect for the roles of the parents in order for the child to feel like they want to obey. The responsibility falls on the parents to have a relationship that the children can respect. Growing Kids God's Way is an excellent study on raising children to respect and honor their parents.

Becoming independent of each other does not happen suddenly, but rather it is a drifting that takes place over time and is rarely realized until it is too late. It doesn’t happen to just children, but it also happens with husbands and wives as well.  Don't let this happen in your family! Commit to each other that you will do what it takes to put family first above others.  Actually write out a Declaration of Interdependence.  Build your team spirit; start working on it now. It is never too late!

Our declaration is not actually called Declaration of Interdependence...my husband thinks that's a cheesy name; I think it's cute.

• I will do my best to honor you with my loyalty, my time, and my resources.
• I will courageously defend you and will endeavor to keep your best interests at all times, physically as well as spiritually.
• I will work to keep our relationship strong through loving, respectful, and honest communication as long as we both shall live.

This commitment can be said between my husband and I, between any of our children or between parent and child.  Keep this in mind when writing this out. It should reflect  your desires that you want to be to each other now and forever. You can entitle it anything you wish.  Ours is Declaration of Commitment.

I can't wait to hear what commitment you came up with! 

NEXT UP: WHAT TO DO ABOUT SIBLING RIVALRY