Sheltering Each Other

In the area of housing, the power of extended family shines!

How many among us can thank a member of our extended family for a down payment, or maybe a cosigning on a home or lease?

The ability of extended families to confront adversity & take advantage of opportunity often manifests itself in the issue of shelter.

It is important that we be aware of public policies that have an affect on our housing options.

GARAGE APARTMENTS PERPLEXING TO CITY

GARAGE APARTMENTS PERPLEXING TO CITY

GarageApartments.com | All Things Garage Apartment Related

GarageApartments.com | All Things Garage Apartment Related

GarageApartments.com | All Things Garage Apartment Related

GarageApartments.com | All Things Garage Apartment Related

Granny flats

Granny flats

Public Policy & Family

Your ability to grow a strong family is often undermined by public policy.
For example you can take decades to build a local family owned business, only to see it destroyed by a public act. As in the following case sited in The New York Times :
"My family has owned this land for 36 years," said Eric Lau, who laid bricks to shore up the building that would become his thriving restaurant, which is adjacent to the hole. "And now they're trying to erase us from this place, to take it and say we don't have any choice."

Mr. Lau's family business is under threat from a controversial use of eminent domain. Unlike most adverse public policy, eminent domain has a way of alarming people in general. Most adverse policy goes about business with little controversy because, it is not our Ox being gored.

Also, it seems that we all have a way of being far more outraged about the taking of property then we do about taking away our family's ability to grow strong and live together. For example, when was the last time you heard public outrage for restrictive zoning laws and ordinances that limited the construction of the three family houses or the use of garage apartments and in-law suites.

Are we more interested in property values than building economically strong families? Our we even ready to allow for economically strong families?

The inability of a family to live together and to share the cost of housing, is directly related to the cost of health care, the burden of child care, the behavioral problems we see among our youth and many more social problems. While we may not choose this option in our own life, why not allow the option for those families that want or need it?

Important, is our willingness to see our individual attitudes reflected in public policy. Is it good public policy that subtracts from the ability to form strong extended families?

RedNova News - Health - Taking Comfort at Hospital

RedNova News - Health - Taking Comfort at Hospital

Death Notices | Obituaries | Newspaper Obituaries | Online Obituaries | Newspaper Death Notices | Online Death Notices

Death Notices | Obituaries | Newspaper Obituaries | Online Obituaries | Newspaper Death Notices | Online Death Notices

The Sun Herald | 07/23/2005 | Aunt Fay, 88, loved her extended family

The Sun Herald | 07/23/2005 | Aunt Fay, 88, loved her extended family

A Long Stay in a Distant Land - Arts & Leisure - International Herald Tribune

A Long Stay in a Distant Land - Arts & Leisure - International Herald Tribune

A Conscious Creation

As I read and listen to the many marriage and family advisors, I find little fault with the many techniques taught, or the observations made. Many parenting guidelines, tips for teens, child rearing, health tips, educational tips, family entertainment guides and a wealth of skill guides exist.

Listen to a parents concerns and you hear about behavior, choices to make on health, family finances, how to find time for family members, mixing time for work and family, dealing with neighbors and other family members.

A wealth of good home economics tips are available.


As I read and listen it makes me think about building and operating a sailing ship. There is the design phase, building phase and operating phase. Each phase requires knowldge, skills and detailed choices. The rigging choices the choice of materials, special carpentry skills and techniques are required. The crew needs to be carefully selected. The operation requires navigation skills and overall seamanship. Leadership skills are needed to manage a crew. Management skills are needed to finance the ship, insure it and run it efficiently.

Now imagine that as a ship owner you learn all you can to execute each phase and it is now time to set sail. At this very point, you discover, you do not know where the ocean is. You look for maps that show worthwhile destinations and all you find are small rivers and lakes.

Is it possible we learn all of the skills to raise children, own homes, educate are children, manage our time and careers, but fail to know for what purpose we do these things? Are we stuck in small rivers and lakes? Are we unable to find a sea to sail upon?

ICT [2005/07/18]??Reuniting families in Denver

ICT [2005/07/18]??Reuniting families in Denver

Is Family Harmony Possible Without Conflict?

Is family harmony possible without conflict?

My father used to say: "you cannot dance a beautiful dance until, you have stepped on each others toes".

Anger, conflict and discord are things every family must painfully live through. However, when this seeming lack of harmony is experienced within the larger context of mutual aid and support, unity is the result.

Painful family experiences can be overwhelmed; by mutual support of personal growth, by valuing each others contribution, and by uniting around adversity and opportunity.

Most important, we must come to expect that some conflict will occur. It is only when we allow conflict to be destructive that we fail to achieve harmony.

It is my belief that we often have too great an expectation of harmony and lack an appreciation for the purpose of conflict. As a result, we view families as dysfunctional. We then build silos to protect our individual self. In order to avoid conflict ,we set too many boundaries. Family members should not behave like wall flowers. Harmony grows from the constructive use of conflict.

Pride builds when families hold reunions | ajc.com

Pride builds when families hold reunions | ajc.com

fathers.com ~ We're here for dads!

fathers.com ~ We're here for dads!

Family Unity

Family Unity

How to build family unity

How to build family unity

Portland's Pingelapese take extended family to extreme

Portland's Pingelapese take extended family to extreme

Reunione Planning Checklist

Reunione Planning Checklist

Reviving Your Family Reunion

Reviving Your Family Reunion

Jeannie Rogers - Harness the Internet for Reunion Planning

Jeannie Rogers - Harness the Internet for Reunion Planning

Family-Reunion.com - Plan the perfect family reunion

Family-Reunion.com - Plan the perfect family reunion

Wired 8.04: Why the future doesn't need us.

Wired 8.04: Why the future doesn't need us.

General News of Tuesday, 5 July 2005

General News of Tuesday, 5 July 2005