Pow Wow's

This week I discovered how my family handled entropy ( lack of order) while I was growing up. In order for my family to find equilibrium (a state of balance) we would hold what my mom called "pow wow's".

We would all gather as a family and each of us would discuss the issue at hand. No one could leave until it was solved and we all took turns sharing our feelings. I know this is a very direct way of dealing with problems and for our family it was the most effective.
       I loved learning about all the different theories on Monday.  I can see how each one TOTALLY applies into my life and why I handle situations the way I do. I think systems theory is pretty clear. We can all find so many different "subsets" in our own families. Mom and Dad should always be a subset whether they are a spousal or parental unit depends on what they are doing at the moment.
       When my husband and I got married our stake president discouraged us from exchange theory. He told us to NEVER keep score. Yet we all still do it! I am guilty of this. I feel that I "deserve" something from my husband when I do something for him. I think the best way to overcome keeping score is to communicate. I should let my husband know what I would like him to do for me and ask him nicely to do it; instead of assuming he knows just what I want.
       I also use symbolic interaction all the time. I try and read body language and gestures and sometimes take them to mean negative things when really it is nothing. I think it's a girl thing! I over analyze EVERYTHING!
      The last theory I don't really agree with, which is conflict theory.  The idea that we are always in conflict seems like a very pessimistic view of family life to me. I'd like to think that we are living in harmony most of the time and that conflict only comes up once in a while and that we can balance things out. Maybe even have a little pow wow to straighten thing up!