The basic law of our land, the Constitution, recognizes this enduring social group and has this to say about the family: “The State recognizes the sanctity of the family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” (Art. II, Sec. 12)

Article 149 of the _____ also shares this view and thus expresses, “The family, being the foundation of the nation, is a basic social institution, which public policy cherishes and protects. Consequently, family relations are governed by law and no custom, practice or agreement destructive of the family shall be recognized or given effect.”

• Desire of a man and a woman to live together as mates.

• Children depend on parents to provide their basic needs.

• The family serves as the wellspring of purpose, values, and heritage of all individuals.

• No less than God Himself sowed the seed for his need, as validated in the Book of Genesis. God said then: “It’s not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18). Taking this perspective, the union of man and woman is because a man needs a woman and woman needs a man. Without the other, both are empty, lonely people.

• _____ until they are old enough to take their place in society.
• Offsprings need parents for their safety and security. Without parents, children can become helpless and unsure of themselves.

• In each family, different members assume duties and responsibilities. Each one plays a role important not only for his well being, but also for those of the other members.
• As one preacher said, “All of us need the family to find ourselves as individuals. Without the family, we are lonely pilgrims wandering aimlessly though life.”

• _____ is a word that means people acting together to achieve a common goal.

• It is the twin of the values of cooperation, which is the ability to join forces to achieve harmony.

• _____ and cooperation are best exercised together with other values, such as self-sacrifice, helpfulness, dedication, industry, service, concern for others, and dependence on God.

• A Demonstration of care and giving importance to family members and other people.

• The joint effort of family members to reach their goal.

• Commitment to the family’s motto, way of life, ambition and goals.

• Trust in and reliance on God.

• The quality of finding honor, worth, and esteem in any work or job assigned to attain the family goal.

• Wise spending of resources, such as time.

• Being useful and of service to others.

• Diligence in performing one’s tasks for the good of the family.

• Denial of one’s self for the benefit of the family.

• The work performed for the welfare of the family and others.

Family traditions, especially those involving the practice of faith like going to church or saying prayers, and simple family gatherings should be given priority over other things like watching TV, surfing the net, going out with your friends.

A member of your family might need a skill that you can provide, maybe helping a sister with a school project or cooking meals for your family. Whatever they may need from you, offer your help readily.

Look for ways to make life easier for each family member. It might just mean performing your own responsibilities around the home or giving your time or using your talents and skills to improve the family business. Accept your part of the workload and make an effort to go beyond what is expected of you.

There are several verbal and non-verbal ways to express your love and concern for the members of your family. Do whatever you can to express this love. Communication bridges gaps, irons out differences and makes life harmonious.

Take the time to listen. Your family members might be able to give you feedback that can help you. They might have suggestions on how you can make your tasks easier. Their advice is important because they are the ones who could be most concerned for your welfare.

You will discover that your family is not perfect. Each member has his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Be ready to accept these differences and forgive the faults of each one.

Each family member has unique traits or characteristics that they can use to contribute to the family’s growth and well-being. Try to recognize these qualities and help each person feel valued. Everyone wants to be appreciated for their and the contributions they make.

If there is one place where you should be able to open yourself up and still be accepted, it should be your home. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Share your dreams, disappointments, fears, longings, etc. Accept help, affection and rebuke. By doing these, you can make your loved ones know that they are special to you.

If there is one place where you should be able to open yourself up and still be accepted, it should be your home. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Share your dreams, disappointments, fears, longings, etc. Accept help, affection and rebuke. By doing these, you can make your loved ones know that they are special to you.

• _____ is the process of sharing yourself verbally and non-verbally in such a way that the other person can understand and accept what you’re telling them.
Communication evolves through three important phases: • Listening • Understanding • Responding and Sharing

• t involves an unselfish kind of listening, which seeks to accept the other person for what he/she is. • A person who listens with understanding will respond in a way that shows empathy to the speaker.

• After all, everyone has different experiences and comes from different lives. However, even if they are different from us, we can still learn from them and their situations. You must respect these differences without sacrificing personal values

• Listen to what they have to say and make sure you grasp their point of view. If the other person is silent, don’t assume it’s a negative or hostile reaction. And just because they smile doesn’t mean everything’s ok. Look beyond the obvious by wisely paying attention to everything that is being said, and the speaker’s body language before coming to any sort of conclusion.

• This shows you want to be more aware of their purpose and presents you as someone with genuine empathy. This also helps you to correct your earlier assumptions, if they are erroneous, of his point of view.

• Most of the time, even when asking for advice, people just want someone to listen. When someone is hurt or angry, he or she does not need to explain why. What they really need is a sympathetic ear and a comfortable shoulder to lean on.

• Listening helps build relationships.
• You show love, respect, and encouragement to others when you listen.

• You are investing time when you listen, and unless you make a commitment to put your relationship above all your other concerns, it will not be easy for you to give people your time.

When someone is speaking, make eye contact. Avoid doing things that can distract the speaker, such as texting, or playing with your phone. When you give your full attention to the speaker, you will be able to comprehend the message easily.

• Fight the temptation to listen to your own thoughts when the other person is still speaking. Do not start processing your reaction at once even when you’re afraid you might miss your chance to say what you’re thinking or forget your line of thought.

• Do not complete the sentences of the person you are talking to. Do not give the impression that you can’t wait for them to finish what they are saying. Be patient. Ask questions if you need to clarify his/her message.

• Do not choose the things you like to hear and ignore the rest. Listening means you are willing to hear the other person fully. Whether you agree with him/her or not, you need to hear the person out first.

• Introducing unrelated topics or subjects can show that your mind is wandering and isn’t really paying attention to the speaker’s plight. It takes discipline to listen and to respond properly. Remember, if your response is out of topic, it would not help the situation or the speaker at all but would just deflect the issues that need to be discussed.

• Repeating or reflecting on the speaker’s words and encouraging him to say more are important ways of showing you listened to whatever it is he told you.

• If you take the time to choose your words and say them in a respectful manner, it can prevent arguments and even diffuse aggressive speakers who might choose to pour their frustrations, instead of their situations, on you.

• An active listener has a right to speak out too. No matter the situation, you also have the responsibility of saying what you feel in a mature and productive manner. This shows you are not afraid of sharing yourself and that you can truly sympathize with the person you’re speaking to.

• The person went to you to be heard and understood. It would not help to keep talking about your own experiences just to show him how good you are in handling your problems.

• When you see a brother, sister, or parent laboring with a heavy task, offer a helping hand so they can finish sooner and rest. They may even spend whatever time they have left from finishing early with you.

• It is human nature to put yourself first. But for a change, focus on the people around you.

• Parents appreciate seeing their children taking initiative. This comforts them, especially after a day at the office or doing a day’s worth of laundry.

• Always have time for the ones you love. When children grow up, they sometimes prefer the company of their peers. So when parents request their companionship, they are often turned down. This can be hurtful to them considering they have made time in their busy schedules to invite you in the first place.

• Parents want to give their teen-aged children freedom and independence. That’s why they are training you to live an adult life. But sometimes, they miss the days when your world revolved around them. Find time to show them that little has changed as far as your love for them is concerned.

• You don’t have to do heroic acts to be appreciated by your family.

THE FIVE EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE:
“I not only want to be loved, I want to be told that I’m loved.” - George Elliot
• The most obvious way of expressing affection is by saying, “I love you”, “I miss you,” “I care for you,” etc. • ts are an important way of confirming the love that you feel for another person.

• Kissing, hugging, a loving pat on the back and other similar _____s are apparent ways of showing one’s love. • It is hard to picture a mother who is not compelled by the warmth of her love to kiss and cuddle the baby in her arms. • Psychologists say that a child who grew up without being hugged would be craving endlessly for love and sex all of his/her adult life. • Even a marriage will die without these loving _____s.

• “What we love to do, we find _____ to do,” – John Spaulding
• Love involves sacrifice and therefore, to show love, you must give up some things that are precious to you. • To some people, love in fact spells T-I-M-E! • Spend _____ with your family and loved ones. • When you give somebody your _____, you are actually giving that person a piece of yourself.

• “Love is giving all you can.” – Anonymous (From the Speaker’s Quote Book)
• Giving _____ is another way to show one’s love. • A mother who saves money to buy her daughter a dress for her birthday, who spends time scouting for that ideal dress, and who takes utmost care in wrapping it up, is also giving up precious time to be able to express her love.

• Preparing coffee for Dad, giving Mom a cool glass of water, taking care of the baby, and running errands for the family are practical examples of acts of _____ that will speak for themselves. • They express love in ways that words could never do.