Parallel.

Family can be complicated and messy. Chances are, if you are working on family boundaries you might need a new strategy for spending time together.

Too often we are sharing meals as a default, eye to eye, circling around sticky topics. There is a lot of pressure in eye to eye contact. Relieve tension with parallel activities.

• If you have children, meet at a park and watch the kids play.
• If you have a dog, meet at a dog park.
• Go to a local festival or performance.

Bring down the pressure, adjust the focus from direct eye contact to focusing on something else, together.

Journal Prompt: Parallel activities would…