How To Manage Complex Relationships at a Funeral

Funerals are difficult enough to deal with without family conflict. In some cases, however, family conflict can make a funeral even more difficult to traverse. Knowing how to manage difficult relationships at funerals is a must and can help make the entire experience a bit less stressful.

Family Conflict at Funerals

Funerals are extremely emotional events. The last thing anyone wants is a fight to break out that can make matters much worse. It can be so difficult to keep your emotions regarding another family member in check when everyone is already so emotional. Keeping this in mind, there are some things that you can do to help reduce conflict and help make the process a bit easier.

First, agree to disagree. No family is going to agree on every point of a funeral they are planning or attending. There will be disagreements, people will want to fight, and they may be combative. Though it might be tempting to lash out as emotions are already bare and tensions high, it is far better to agree that you might not agree on everything and leave it at that.

Another thing to keep in mind is that everyone grieves differently. What might seem totally normal to one person may seem bizarre to another. It is always important to listen with respect and respect the way that other people are grieving and dealing with their issues. You should listen to what everyone has to say and give everyone a chance to be a part of the planning.

Finally, communicate openly and honestly with everyone involved. You cannot be mad at someone for something that you did not voice. If you have a specific feeling about something, it is going to be far better to be open and to talk to your family about it than to bottle it up.

Managing Conflict as It Comes

It is always best to try to head off any conflict before it has the chance to bubble over. That does not mean you will be able to catch every single conflict and take care of everything. It means that you are in control of the conflict and can choose not to fight. As hard as it might seem, it is going to be far better to quash any disagreements that are present and simply honor the memory of your loved one that has passed.  

Categorised in: Funeral Planner

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