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It has been said that the family is America's most treasured resource.  It's the basis of our society-and much of our lives.  It is where we learn to love...to communicate...and to grow.  Probably many of our fondest memories revolve around the family.

            And yet, families can experience serious difficulties.  At times, members of families may be able to resolve such problems on their own-while, at other times, intervention by a psychologist, social worker, or clergyman may be in order.  Here are some of the major things that cause problems in families and how to begin overcoming them:

            Failure to communicate.  Even though parents and children love each other fiercely, there may be times when they have difficulty talking with one another.  As a result of miscommunication, misunderstandings abound.  This failure to communicate can also lead to traumatic situations, such as drug abuse.
Potential Solution: One way to respond to communication problems is to hold weekly family meetings.  At these meetings, problems can be discussed and dealt with before they undermine the family unit.  For the married couple in particular, having a "date night" once a week, just the two of them, gives them time to themselves, where they can discuss any issues between the two of them, and resolve those issues before they become walls between them.

            Failure to discipline.  While some parents unfortunately use harsh techniques to discipline their children, others refuse to discipline their children at all.  As a result, their children have no boundaries.  Such children are more likely to have problems in school, to have difficulty forging friendships, and to experiment with alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity.  
Potential Solution: If you have real difficulty disciplining your children, consider taking a parenting class that offers positive discipline techniques.  In the end, your child is likely to reward you for it-by engaging in better behavior.  It is best to start as early as possible, and to be consistent when setting boundaries and disciplining your children.  For example, even when they are very young, if they do not obey, their favorite toy train may be off-limits for a time.  Even as toddlers, children place value on things they like, one such item being their toys.

            Addiction.  This is undeniably one of the most frightening problems to face the modern American family.  Addiction is not only painful for the addict-it can also be devastating for the rest of the members of the family.  The prevalent use of the web today, along with all the variety of potentially harmful things that can come with the increase in web site traffic, have made certain addictions particularly easy to fall in to. 
Potential Solution: If a member of your household is showing signs of addiction, consider a family intervention.  It could literally save your loved one's life.  Also, as a relative of an addict, consider joining a support group for families dealing with addiction.  You can draw strength and courage from families who are sharing your pain. 

With any of these issues, catching them early is very important.  The longer an issue remains undiscussed and unresolved, the harder it can be to resolve it in the future.  Planning to deal with things as they arise can save much time and grief later.