The Importance of Interactions

Relationships are a complex thing. They are probably the most important relationships a person will have in their lifetime. We come in all types of relationships; some are long term, some short term, some are serious, some funny and some sad. The relationships we have with our children are no different. This article will help you understand what is a relationship, what a relationship is for, what a lack of a relationship in may feel like and how to support your relationships.

Basically, a relationship is an emotional interpersonal bond that involves emotional and/ or physical intimacy. Although a romantic relationship is most commonly a romantic sexual relationship, it can also be just a non-romantic relationship. A friendship would be considered a non-romantic relationship as well. Although friendships are more common in adult relationships, they are just as much important in forming young children. In children, friendships develop due to shared activities and experiences with their peer group.

As children, our primary caregiver is our mother. She is responsible for us emotionally, physically, sexually, emotionally and intellectually. She is the one who understands us and who we are. When she is not there, we learn to form and establish relationships outside of her, such as friends, siblings and extended families. Most of these relationships are emotionally intimate and involve physical intimacy as well.

In adults, these relationships can be just as intimate and involved as those formed with our mothers. However, adult women usually do not have a significant other who lives with them constantly. So where does this leave those in relationships where they need someone to talk to, share experiences and discuss feelings? The answer is: healthy relationships.

Healthy relationships do not require one another to be sexually intimate. Some relationships may have a few special occasions in which sex is present, but these are far from the only types of sexual relationships that take place in a healthy relationship. All of us create bonds through shared experiences and emotions. Those bonds grow, and their strength grows with time. If we spend most of our time building intimacy within those bonds, we are in a relationship where two people are deeply connected and caring about one another.

Healthy interactions are also present in one-on-one interactions with another person. Just having an honest and open dialog with another person can be a great way to deepen our relationships and our own sense of self. Connections between people grow out of interactions that lift and nurture each other. No one form of intimacy is more important than any other.