Family Friendships
BY AVERI WHITMAN
Our family is so lucky to be in a season of life where we are experiencing deep community. Since moving back to East Tennessee in 2023 we have been doing all of life with a few other families, and it’s the most magical… for us and for our kids.
Getting to reap the benefits of friendship with other families has been a gift while there are one million reasons why we all need friendships with others in different stages— married, single, with kids, no kids, older, younger, the list goes on— we’ve loved having a pocket of relationships that are true Family Friendships.
When I say “family friendships” I mean that one’s entire family is intertwined with another family. Truly doing life alongside other families.
One of my favorite parts of having an almost four year old has been watching her develop her own friendships. My husband and I value and prioritize the connections we have with our inner circle, and we are starting to see our daughter hold that same value with her little friends.
As a family, we have decided to spend a lot of our time with other families and because of that, our daughter has built-in friends that she is getting to do life with. It’s been so beautiful to watch her get to connect on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis with the kids in the families we surround ourselves with.
To name just a few of the benefits we’ve seen by choosing to be deeply connected to our family friendships :
- A strong sense of community and belonging
- Emotional support from trusted individuals
- Role modeling for our kids from grown ups other than just us
- Community building
- Socialization and learning social skills
- Diverse perspectives & shared resources
We live away from extended family, like grandparents and cousins, so having built-in family nearby is something we hold near and dear.
What has your experience been with family friendships?
Have you seen these same benefits? Where have you seen some disadvantages here?
Let’s chat in the comments!
