Relationships Matter
Helping families and couples (whether together or separated) understand and build healthy relationships.
Managing Christmas
Why Christmas can be a difficult time
You might be struggling this year for the first time. Or you may have found Christmas difficult in the past, and so you’re dreading it.
You may also enjoy Christmas, but feel that you can’t celebrate it how you’d like.
It’s a tricky time for many relationships with lots of different demands.
Managing relationships after a breakup
Many of the dates that are important to us involve family celebrations. When relationships break down, it can be really hard to manage these occasions.
Plan Ahead – when there are children involved, arrange to meet without them present.
Negotiate – it’s not about winning or whose ‘turn’ it is. Listen, discuss and agree a plan with a focus on what the children would want.
Let everyone know in advance
Try to build new traditions rather than focus on losing old ones – this can be a positive experience.
Look after yourself – think about and plan for your own needs at this time.
Happy family relationships make us all feel good and help our children feel secure and loved.
Often as a parent or carer, we are trying to juggle lots of things, and keep our own relationships as positive as can be. Sometimes all relationships can become difficult, and this may impact everyone.
Relationships Matter has been created to provide advice, tips, and support to help keep our relationships positive and to support parents and carers.
Watch this video for more information.
Parental Relationships
Why do we care about them?
Some level of arguing and conflict between parents is often a normal part of everyday life. However, there is strong evidence to show how inter-parental conflict that is frequent, intense, and poorly resolved can have a significant negative impact on children’s mental health and long-term life chances.
Children exposed to frequent, intense and poorly resolved conflict are more likely to:
Experience depression or anxiety
Have physical health problems
Develop behavioural problems
Do worse at school
This could impact their future and on their ability to have:
Healthy Adult Relationships
Positive Health & Wellbeing
Successful education, employment, and life chances
Parental Conflict or Domestic Abuse?
Parental conflict and domestic abuse are not the same thing. Domestic abuse requires specific and specialist support. If you are feeling fearful and powerless in your relationship, then you may be suffering from domestic abuse.
What causes conflict in relationships?
PARENTING
CHORES
SEX
MONEY
CHILDREN
SOCIAL MEDIA
FRIENDS
EXTENDED FAMILY
EMPLOYMENT
ADDICTION
HOUSING
MENTAL HEALTH
CO-PARENTING
CHILDCARE
SEPARATION
NEW BABY
Conflict between parents is a normal part of relationships. However, there is strong evidence to show that parental conflict, which is frequent, intense, and poorly resolved puts children’s mental health and long-term outcomes at risk.
1 in 5 married or cohabiting couples are in relationships which are classified as “distressed”.
Do you recognise any of these things?
If you answered yes to any of these, you and your family may be experiencing parental conflict.
FIND OUT MORE HERE – HOW’S IT GOING?
LOCAL HELP
Want more options where you live?
Select your local council from the dropdown below and click submit.
If you are not sure who your local council is, visit https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council for further information.
Relationships Matter is a new partnership between 13 Councils across Yorkshire and the Humber Region helping families who may be having relationship difficulties.
