Family and Communication

This paper critically evaluates the role of smooth communication in a family using Gibb's Reflective model and explores the effects of absence of smooth communication within a family.

Running Head: FAMILY AND COMMUNICATION
Family and Communication
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
After an individual is born, the members who are in the closest proximity with that
individual is their family. The bond that an individual has with their family defines one of the
most crucial relationships that an individual might encounter in their lifetime. The meaning of of
family varies from individual to individual (Bales and Parsons 2014). The criteria through which
one defines a group as a family might be different for different people. It depends on the degree
of affiliation that a certain person has with a said group. Communication is an important aspect
in every realm of life, and the same cannot be ignored while in a household situation (Williams
and Nussbaum 2013). Clear communication should exist in a family as it helps in avoiding
miscommunication. Clear communication is responsible for the affinity that the members of the
family have for each other. Furthermore, it helps in strengthening the bond and affection among
the members of the family (Lull 2014). Moreover, existence of smooth communication enable
effective resolving of issues that that rise in the families. In this paper, the role of smooth
communication in a family will be critically evaluated using Gibb's Reflective model. The paper
will also evaluate the effects of absence of smooth communication within a family.
The Gibbs reflective model is the assimilation of factors that an individual experiences
(Chambers 2012). Following are the components of the Gibbs Reflective cycle;
Description (what happened ?)
I was born into a joint family. My family consisted of my parents, grandparents, and my
uncle my aunt and my cousins. The experience of living in a joint family is highly different from
living in a nuclear family and I have been fortunate enough to have had the privilege of staying
in a joint family. All members of the family used to be engaged in the household chores and I felt

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high degrees of affinity within the family. However, things changed when my uncle’s family
decided to live separately. No proper reasoning was provided for this separation which divided
the family into two.
Feelings (what was I thinking and feeling?)
On coming across the decision of my uncle to move away from our beloved joint family,
I was left shocked. I could not get over the fact that the situation actually took place. I was very
much attached to them, especially my cousins. It was difficult for me to think of a situation in
which I has to live without them. I experienced emotional and mental breakdown as I was highly
engaged to them, studied with my cousins, ate and even slept with them. My parents and
grandparents were also left in shock as it was suddenly announced and enacted upon.
However, I speculated that it was due to some reasons that the children of the family were not
supposed to know. However, I felt that they wanted to depart from the joint family as they
wanted to liberally bring up my cousins. I was anything but ensure.
Evaluation (what was good and bad about the experience? what went well and what went
wrong?)
This stage of the Gibbs Reflective cycle is concerned with the evaluation of what good and bad
facts that I inferred after the evaluation of the experience. I could derive nothing positive from
the experience. Along with me, my parents and grandparents also felt devastated. I was a huge
emotional loss for me as my cousins were my closest friends. Furthermore, the bonds that I
shared with them is completely different from the bond that I had with anyone. I loved both my
uncle and aunt, and used to listen to them over my parents. I believe that communication can be
the solution of every problem that one can encounter. However, the absence of the same led to

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the implications of such unfavourable feelings within the members of my family. I am sure that
my cousins would have had similar feeling as their level of affiliation was similar to me. Thus, I
began to realise the importance of communication within a family. If they were dissatisfied with
any reason or any member of the family the issue could have been resolved. This situation was a
mere paradox. If this had not happened, the family would have not have been in the mental state
that they are in now.
Analysis (What sense can be made of the situation ?)
According to Carvalho, Francisco and Relvas (2015), indirect communication is difficult
to interpret and results to misunderstandings. It is one of the biggest factors that contribute to
misunderstanding in families and creates an unfavourable atmosphere within a family. I believe
that the members of a family should communicate with each other effectively to ensure that there
is a sense of belongingness and affiliation in a company. The aim of proper communication
within a family is to encourage the sense of affiliation that the members have within them
(DeFrain and Asay 2013). According to Chambers (2012), the uniformity of beliefs, values and
attitudes are as a result of proper communication, using which the author propounded a theory
known as the family communication patterns theory. It states that the pattern of communication
within the family determines sustainability of communication in the family (Waisbord 2018). My
uncle and aunt decide to move and create a nuclear family of their own. They did not consider to
communicate their difficulties or issue directly. I assume, that they might have used indirect
measures to communicate the issue that they were facing. I interpreted that they interpreted the
problems as a result of staying in a joint family. However I feel that things could have been
different if they had realised that the bond within the family would have been different if the all
the members try to protect the family as a whole.

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Conclusion – ( what else could I have done?)
I found myself growing up in a time when my cousins and their parents left the family.
Till now this has been one of the biggest and most unfavourable incidents that I encountered in
my life. As a result of that I am a completely different person and have realised the importance
of affiliation, communication and sense of belongingness. If I was matured enough to understand
the grave importance of the same back in the time that the separation occurred I would have tried
to communicate the issue with my uncle and aunt. I would have requested them to re think the
situation and resolve the situation which could possibly have led a completely different scenario
that the current.
Action Plan (If it rose again, what would I do ?)
The incident that I discussed is one of the most unfavourable incidents that I have
encountered in my life. I would be prepared to take measures, if similar circumstances arose in
the future. I would try to incorporate smooth communication and encourage the departing
members to communicate effectively to ensure, that there is no discontent within the members of
the family. On incidence of such scenarios is would encourage the members to communicate
effectively and remove, the complexity of the situation by incorporating smooth, direct and non-
filtered communication.

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References
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Carvalho, J., Francisco, R. and Relvas, A.P., 2015. Family functioning and information and
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communication. Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change, pp.1-40.

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Williams, A. and Nussbaum, J.F., 2013. Intergenerational communication across the life
span.Routledge.