Building and maintaining positive relationships with children and with all family members is not always easy. Families have times when tempers flare, feelings get hurt and misunderstandings occur. It helps to have good communication, flexibility and creativity to manage these situations and maintain positive connections.
Relationships in rural and remote areas have a unique set of pressures and challenges.
Australia is a very large country. The majority of the population lives along our coastline, in large cities or towns. The rest of the population is spread across the country in many rural cities, towns, and remote communities.
Moving to a new country is a big change, and has an impact on our old relationships, as well as the new ones we form.
Australia's history is steeped in the migrants who have sought a new life in the "lucky country". Many have come, bringing their own distinct customs, values and ways of living. Australia's culture has been enriched by this diverse and colourful contribution.
New migrants arriving in Australia have a significant adjustment to make as they learn about Australia, its culture and people.
Relationships at home and in the workplace can impact on each other.
The relationships we have in the workplace are a major part of our work. Not only do we go to work to earn a living and to take care of our homes and families, we also go to work for the social aspects of relating with people.
When our relationships at home and work are going well for us we feel invigorated and alive: we like being at work.
All relationships change over time, but some life events can have a major impact on a couple's relationship.
All people change over time. We are familiar with the way children change through their physical growth and the development of their personality. We are, however, less aware of the ways adults change. These changes are less visible and less obvious.
The birth of a first child and the process of becoming parents is a major turning point for most relationships.
The birth of your first child will cause major changes to you and your partners' lives. You can prepare for this change in several ways, such as:
Parenting is a challenging experience that can put a great deal of pressure on relationships
Whilst bringing up children can be a wonderful experience, it can also be very trying at times. Parenting can place enormous pressure on your relationship with your partner. Yet a loving and supportive relationship is exactly what you and your partner need most when you are facing the challenges of child rearing.
Some relationships involve behaviour that is very damaging to the other partner and, in some cases, may be criminal.
Any good relationship should be based on equality and respect between partners.
When one partner uses tactics to control the other partner, it can be very damaging. This control or power imbalance can take many forms, including threats, 'stalking' behaviour, and physical abuse.
This usually results in one partner being scared of another, leaving them unable to feel safe in the relationship.
Domestic violence is a problem in many households.
The Internet provides us with new ways of connecting and relating to people.
The Internet allows users to make many new and different connections with people, some just down the street and others on the other side of the world. Stories abound with the sophisticated ways that people have met and forged new relationships on the Internet.
Any form of violence and abuse in a relationship is a serious statement that things are not all right.
