Relationships

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Different Types of Relationships
An interpersonal relationship refers to the association, connection, interaction and bond between two or more people. There are many different types of relationships. Now, we focus on four types of relationships: Family relationships, Friendships, Acquaintanceships and Romantic relationships.
Family Relationships
Our family, or relatives are people we are connected to through some form of kinship, whether it is through blood (such as with parents, brothers and sisters), marriage (such as non-blood aunts and uncles or step-parents), romantic relationships (such as a parent’s girlfriend or boyfriend) or adoption. Family includes siblings and parents who you may see every day growing up, and other relatives such as cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents who you may not see so frequently. Families come in many different forms, such as, single-parent families, step families, homes with gay and lesbian parents etc. Ideally, people should have strong relationships with their families, although this does not always happen. They should feel love and closeness for their relatives, and be able to confide in them and discuss personal things. A key role of parents and older relatives is to offer guidance, support and, where needed, boundaries and discipline. As families are so close and spend so much time together, arguments and disagreements can arise, but in most families, these are short-lived and even in moments of anger or hurt. Families still love and care about each other. Family relationships are ideally life-long, although as children become teenagers and then adults, it is usual for them to have more independence and to become less guidance and more mutual support. Sometimes, as children become teenagers and adults, there can be an increase in arguments and conflicts with parents as the growing child tries to assert his/her independence and find his/her adult identity. This is perfectly normal, and often calms down once the teenage years have passed. It is important to have strong communication with family members as, if a healthy relationship is nurtured, a family can be a lifelong source of support. The bond with a family can play a very important role in personal wellbeing and the ability to form other kinds of relationships outside of the family unit, such as friendships and romantic relationships. In some families, there is little physical contact whereas in others, it is common for family members to express affection by means of hugging, kissing on the cheek or forehead, patting the head or tousling the hair, and patting on the back, etc. It is common for babies and younger children to be carried or held.
Friendships
Friends are the people who we are not related to but choose to interact with. Friends are people we trust, respect, care about and feel that we can confide in and want to spend time with. A good friendship should be built on honesty, support and loyalty. A friendship is a reciprocal relationship. You may find that you feel closer to some friends than others. This is perfectly normal. Some friends, especially if they have only been known for a short time or are not seen very often, may not be appropriate to confide in about personal issues or concerns. You may find that you feel more comfortable and able to confide in friends whom you have known for longer or spend more time with. Friends who are very close and know each other well are sometimes referred to as “best friends.” Some people have many friends, while others may only have one or two. There is no right or wrong number of friends to have, and everyone is different. Good friendships are mutually respectful and supportive and share common interests and ideas. While some friendships can be close, and some friends choose to greet each other by hugging or kissing on the cheek, other friendships may have no physical contact, or may simply shake hands. Physically intimate or romantic contact is not appropriate in a friendship.
Acquaintanceships
Acquaintances are the people you may encounter regularly, but who are not friends or relatives. For example, they may be a neighbor who lives in your road that you say “hello” to if you see them in passing, or a work colleague or someone you have seen a few times at a social event but do not yet know well. It is important to be polite and respectful to acquaintances as having harmonious relationships with people around you, such as work colleagues, people from college, and neighbors, etc. is an important way of avoiding stress or conflict. In some cases, relationships that start as acquaintanceships can, over time, evolve into friendships as you get to know the persons better and see them more frequently. The level of contact with an acquaintance is minimal. There is unlikely to be any physical contact (although in a work setting, or when being introduced to someone, you might occasionally be required to shake hands), but the main form of contact is likely to be smiling and saying “hello.”
Romantic Relationships
A romantic relationship is the one in which you feel very strongly attracted to the other person, both personally and physically. This is reciprocated by the other person in the relationship. A romantic relationship is that which exists between a boyfriend and girlfriend (in a heterosexual relationship) or a boyfriend and boyfriend or girlfriend and girlfriend (in a homosexual relationship) or spouses (in a marriage) or life partners (in a civil partnership or long-term unmarried relationship). People in a romantic relationship will see each other very often, and when apart, they may frequently stay in contact by emails or phones. Some people in romantic relationships live together. A romantic relationship is the closest form of relationship, and the two people involved will often describe themselves as being attracted to each other and “in love.” They feel an incredibly strong connection and bond to each other that they do not feel with anyone else, even close friends. This bond is also exclusive and monogamous. Successful romantic relationships are built on love, trust, respect, support, acceptance, shared interests and a desire for the two people to share their lives together. Some people in relationships may choose to have children. As this is such a close relationship, various kinds of physical contact are accepted which would not be appropriate in any other kind of relationship. These include prolonged cuddling and holding, kissing on the lips and sexual intercourse. Sometimes, arguments and disagreements occur in romantic relationships. In strong relationships, these arguments can be overcome through effective communication, understanding and compromise, but in other cases, especially, if there are frequent arguments, the two people may decide to terminate the relationship. Relationships can be of varying duration. In some relationships, it quickly becomes apparent that the two people are not compatible and do not want to spend their lives together, so the relationship may end after only a few months. In other cases, the two people may be together for many years, or may stay together for the rest of their lives.
No matter what kinds of relationships, we need to cultivate mutual and common consensus with one another. First of all, we have to be honest to ourselves. Secondly, we tend to be flexible toward others. Thirdly, we build sense of humor in most of the situations. Then, we don’t control others, but, on the contrary, we support them. We practice trust and patience, and spend quality time with people. Further, we should avoid comparisons. And finally, we learn to develop forgiveness and forgetting among people around us.

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