Creating Closer families

A few years ago I created four private family Facebook pages; The family of Weldon and Nell Perkins, The Family of Charles and Naomi Norris, The Family of Clarke and Nellie Bedwell and the Family of Julian and Thelma Jackson.

I started with the Perkins family group because I wanted a format where we could share family stories and such like that we couldn’t share with anyone else because they might view us as martians or something worse. The world is really not ready to hear the shenanigans that go on in our family. My other motivation was to have a format whereby we could reconnect with each other and draw our family closer to each other (scattered as we are).

I then created the other family groups to help those families. The Norris family is my mother’s family. The Bedwells and Jacksons are Julie’s family. I do most of the posting on those pages, sharing old family photos and letters and things going on in our lives. Other members of the families have gradually started posting.

The end result is our families are closer. Family members have become “friends” on Facebook who have never met each other. When we had the big Perkins family reunion in San Diego this summer, I heard several people say to each other… “you know I have never met you but I feel like I know you because of our friendship on Facebook”.

This year we have gotten Christmas cards from family members that we have never gotten before. The in-laws of the Perkins family say things like “I have always wanted to be part of a big happy family”. Julie’s annual family reunion in Kansas has benefited. Many of them have told me… “thank you for helping to make our family closer”. Being the rascal that I am they take great pleasure in making fun of me. That common activity also makes them closer.

When we got together at my brother Greg’s house for thanksgiving the three Patriarchs (Me, Scott and Greg) each gave a message to our family. Mine was that the Perkins family was special, that although we might occasionally have “issues” with each other that we still loved each other and didn’t allow it to harm the family.

Everyone wants a closer happier family… build a private page and communicate a good message to each other. You might be surprised about how good it can get.