Living and working on a family farm is a dream for many people, but is the reality becoming a nightmare? There are many benefits to working side by side with your family, but it is also easy for boundary lines to be crossed and fences broken. It is important to keep lines of communication open and repair broken relationships if you want your family farm to run smoothly for generations.
The following three principles are essential to establish healthy boundaries on you family farm.
Respect. It can be easy to fall into familiar family patterns, such as playing the victim, or bossing others around. But remember that respecting yourself first is key to making healthy choices. From there you can choose to show respect to your fellow family members. Communication is improved when you listen and respect other thoughts and opinions.
Sowing and Reaping. Just like in your crops, the seed you choose to plant is the one that will be harvested. Model good behavior and respect if you want to enjoy a healthy harvest in years to come.
Clarity. It is important to communicate clearly and clarify goals both within the family farm and off. Do not expect others to read your mind or wonder what your plans are.
Let your family farm be ruled by integrity and honesty. Strong boundaries make for a happy family. Don’t let holes in your fence damage your legacy.
Interested in learning more about protecting the legacy of your family farm? Contact us for more information.
