Every night at dinner you sit next to each other, but feel like you're separated by an ocean.
Conversations are limited to everyday issues, and real emotions are hidden behind phone screens.
This seems familiar to millions of families where the rhythm of life has displaced sincerity.
But what if the problem isn't a lack of time, but how we use it?
Listening is not about nodding your head in response to a monologue.
It's about hearing what's hidden between the phrases: fatigue after a day at work, anxiety about the child's future, sadness about unfulfilled dreams.
Try replacing the usual “How are you?” with “What made you happy today?”
These questions don't require correct answers, but they open the door to a world of emotions that we often ignore.
Another key is rituals. Shared breakfasts, walks before bed, or even five-minute tea parties without gadgets create space for informal communication.
These moments become bridges across that very ocean of silence.
And it doesn’t matter how old your family is – five or fifty: traditions can be created at any time.
Conflicts can also bring people closer together if you approach them as a search for compromise rather than a battle for who is right.
Instead of “You never listen to me!” say, “It’s important to me that we understand each other.” This shifts the focus from blaming to problem-solving together.
Lastly, intimacy does not require grand gestures.
Sometimes it’s enough to hold someone’s hand when they’re sad, or to cook their favorite dish for no reason.
These gestures speak louder than words: "I am here. I remember. You are not alone."
Author: Igor Zur