Reflecting on Building Relationships

Building a successful relationship is a big part of life with family and with friends which in my eyes all starts with trust.  If can’t trust others than you will have a hard time believe what they have to say and cause some doubts. Another part of having a successful relationship is being able to understand one another regardless if you agree or disagree.  We all have difference of opinions and at times even misunderstand what someone else is trying to say.  I have not had the best supportive or positive relationships in my life.  The top supportive and positive relationships I have had have been my mother, children, and my husband.

 

My mother has been there when I needed a shoulder to cry on or just to have someone that will listen to me.  My mom has always listened to me and will give me her advice but she would always say, “I may give you advice but you are the one that can either take it or leave because you are the person in charge of how you run your life.”   

 

I am 39 years old and my son will be 21 next week, my daughter is 19, and my youngest daughter is 14.  Being a teenage mother and having to grow up fast, my children have taught me how to be patience, strong, and confident in everything I do in life.  I have become the person I am because of my children and with their support I have completed a BA in early childhood education.  Going back to school took some time away from my children but they encourage me to continue because this was something I have always wanted to do is teach young children.  This also showed my children that it is never too late to go to college and get the degree you have always wanted.

 My husband and I lived together for 8 years before I agree to get married again and now we have been married for 1 year.  In my previous marriages, they were not successful relationships because I could not trust which cause me to doubt them.  My husband was also previously married and has two children of his own.  With all the challenges we both have experience with our previous relationships; we decided to work on trust and learn to understand each other before we decided to make it final.  Bringing two families together brought some challenges in our relationship and as the years went on we both have become stronger, understanding, and even closer in our relationship. 

I believe that the best practice is the experience we all go through in life.  Our experiences or past relationships will only help us to build a better relationship with others.  As an early childhood professional I firmly believe building a strong effective relationship is the key to unlock opportunities for parents to become more involved with their child development and education.