December 3-9 Discussion #3

The concept that can use a bit more discussion is the models of interpersonal communication. I struggled with this initially because it was a foreign concept to me and it is presented in a very abstract way in the book. I understood it after reading the explanation and the blogs but when I first tried to comprehend I had a very hard time. The core concepts that are presented in the first chapters of the book are the basic foundation chapters, but are packed with tons of information that is not always easy to follow. I really enjoyed having the instructor’s blog that explained the chapters each week in detail. It helped me connect with a lot of these abstract subjects that I could not figure out on my own. It really helped when I had to post my discussion and complete the exams. Overall that was really the only chapter that I struggled during the semester.

December 3-9 Discussion #2

My favorite thing about class was blogging. I have never had a class that involves blogging and I found it very interesting.  It was nice being able to learn about others in the class. Each person had different experiences through their friendships and relationships that I was able to learn from. I really liked the timeline that we had to do all of the assignments, it was very manageable and I felt like I had ample time for everything. My least favorite part was the 12 hour limit for posting, although I understand why that rule is in place. It allows you to be engaged throughout the entire week of class. It was a struggle with work and having very little time but I managed to make it work. I think this class was great and liked the way it was structured all around. I learned a lot from this course and enjoyed it the entire semester. 

December 3-9 Discussion #1

I have learned the importance of communication in all forms; verbal and nonverbal. I have also leanred about the importance of active listening and different styles of love. In my last paper I wrote about committed romantic relationships, which I focused an immense amount of time on. I focused on trust, commitment, and managing conflict. There is an amazing quote in the chapter of trust that states “Trust is where knowledge ends”(Wood ch.12) Although it is short, it has a great message. Trust is the ability to not know every single thing that your partner is doing and still trust they are acting on the side of goodness. Commitment is different from love because it is a choice that is made to be with someone, love you can’t always control. There were many steps and suggestions in managing conflict that I think are very helpful. In all, I have learned a lot about myself and how to communicate with others in order to create fulfilling relationships.  

Nov 12-18 Discussion #3

I found the Family Life Cycle very interesting as I have never heard of it before. There are seven stages of the cycle including : establishing a family, enlarging a family, developing a family, encouraging independence, launching children, postlaunching of children, and retirement. It’s fascinating because having a family is one of my life long dreams. Thinking about a future family in terms of the stages is overwhelming but very exciting as well. I have always had established family goals that I thought I would do by a certain age. Since I have started my career I have realized that not everything begins or can end when we predict them too. I have met many parents and married couples that also thought they would have children or get married by a certain age but it rarely happens as planned. I now have the outlook of going with the flow of life’s unexpected events and hoping for the best.  

November 11-18 Discussion #2

It is very hard to say or predict the next 50 years as there are so many variables that cause change. For the most part I think there will be a big half that wants “a vital marriage” and others who will take the route of having a committed relationship but not wanting to get married. A vital marriage is when a couple is close emotionally and want to be together physically as much as possible (Wood 308). The other half would want to be in some type of committed relationship but not get married because they don’t see the point. I have met a lot of people my age that do not see the importance in marriage. It is solely a piece of paper is their mentality. I might have a realistic prediction and a hope for the next 50 years. My hope is that my generation, those who are up next in a sense to start careers and get married really take it seriously and find the beauty in marriage. I hope that those who take part in marriage remember that it is forever because if they do we might be able to get the 50% divorce rate down.

 

November 12-18 Discussion #1

Family can be any group of people that love and care about each other despite race, age, or gender. The typical family would be two parents (a male and female married couple) with kids and any other immediate blood related relative. Although this is the “norm”, I think that a family can consist of any person blood related or not. Families can be extended, dysfunctional, diverse, and still be as valuable as any other families. Family members typically care for each other and have the mentality of “I will be here for you no matter what”. Families have bonds that differentiate from just friendship type relationships or even romantic relationships. Quite honestly, every type of family fits into my definition including; gay couples who have adopted children, single mothers or fathers, men or women remarried, children free families, family members (aunts/uncles/friends) who have been chosen to look after children, and heterosexual couples with children etc. I have a very open and accepting view about relationships especially families because I come from an interracial, divorced, and remarried household. For this reason I am a big advocate that being different than the norm is okay. 

Nov 5 - Nov 11 Discussion #3

Committed romantic relationships involve three components including commitment, passion, and intimacy. Passion describes intensely positive feelings and fervent desire for another person (Wood 277). Passion is not necessarily sexual feelings within a relationship. It includes an emotional, spiritual, and intellectual interaction. Commitment is the intention to remain involved with a relationship (Wood 278). Commitment is the decision one makes to stay in a relationship with another despite the hardships they may endure. Intimacy is feelings of closeness, connection, and tenderness (Wood 279). Intimacy reflects affection and displays feeling of caring and love. These dimensions are all present and only strengthen any committed romance. These components are interconnected and when love occurs these all seem to happen naturally. These are overwhelming feelings that are often overlooked but they are important for long lasting relationships, especially marriage. I take marriage very seriously and truly believe that once you commit to someone you have to make it work no matter what obstacles may stand in your way.