An ideal family

This week in my Family Relations class, we learned a little about Salvador Munition(a well know family therapist).  Munition would create "family maps" of the family he was counseling.  These simple maps would tell him the role of each individual member of the family, how they interacted with each other, and what kinds of boundaries they would place between them and others.  During class, we had a few students who volunteered to play a "family"(Father, mother, and son).  We learned that the mother was close to the son, but that the father had often distanced himself from them.  The mother and father had little communication which put up a barrier between them.  Also the mother didn't quite know her full role and often times would be confused at what her relationship was with her son(mother...friend?)  The map looked a little bit like this: 

Any ideas what a healthy family would look like?

After just a few sessions(give or take) with the family theapist, hopefully our family would look more like this:

The thing that caught my attention with this mapping, is that the mom and dad are at the center, on an equal level, in their own small circle.  I truly believe that the husband and wife should put their marriage first.  They need to work together as one.  

Elder James E. Faust once said, 

"The most sacred, intimate, and blessed relationship of life is between husband and wife. I do not love anybody like I love my wife. My mother has[my] father, and my children have their companions, but Ruth is me. Our wives become part of us, and they become like our own flesh—and as Paul counseled, we should love them as such. (See Eph. 5:28–33.) The simple truth is that it is not good for man to be alone." 

I know that there is no such thing as a perfect family, but we can all strive to seek balance in order to create an ideal family for us.  

It is important that we allow God into our marriage and home.  This will ultimately bring us balance and joy into our relationship.  

We must strive for greater spirituality in our relationships, and especially in our homes. Literally taking the Lord into partnership with us will bring us a full measure of peace, happiness, unity, and contentment.--James E. Faust

Children benefit greatly from a husband and wife working together as one.  Pray together. Read scriptures together.  Remember why you got married.  Respect one another.  Find things to do that you both enjoy.  Communicate.  Create a home of love that welcomes the spirit.  A home of safety and peace.  The rest will fall into place.

 "Indeed, one of the greatest things a father can do for his children is to love their mother."--Howard W. Hunter