I had no clue until now😳

A study published in the Journal of Family Communication discovered that the single most important predictor for having a close family is not the large gatherings during the holidays, but the “micro-check-ins.” This includes sending short texts or having short phone calls to say “how was your day?” These types of behaviors, especially among families, reveal higher feelings of support. On the contrary, the families that tend to be vague about their expectations are the ones that tend to move further away without even being aware that they are doing so.

The truth is, however, than when distance sets in, it’s hard to close that gap. At the end, it all comes to keeping the relationship meaningful by making sure than no side has to wonder where they stand.

Lack of Emotional Support

When parents fail to acknowledge their children’s emotions while growing up, it can have a lasting negative effect. Children who have been dismissed or made to feel like their feelings don’t matter will often continue to believe this as an adult, that their feelings simply aren’t important. This makes it extremely difficult for them to ever get close to anyone else. Instead of being an open book, they’re forced to keep people at arm’s length and emotionally distant as a way of survival.

The science behind this phenomenon is rather simple. According to the American Psychological Association, the way we bond with people as adults is determined by the way we were emotionally programmed as a child. If those needs weren’t being fulfilled, it’s generally going to lead to a difficult relationship, lack of warmth, and a quiet resentment that can exist between a parent and a child for many, many years.