Guidelines for Family Meetings
One good way to build cooperation among everyone in a family is to have a regular family meeting. Getting into the habit of family meetings takes time. Making the meetings work takes effort.
Meet at a regular time. A regular time might be once a week. Plan to have the meeting last from twenty minutes to an hour.
Make a list of topics. Some people call this list of topics an agenda. Post it on the refrigerator. Then people can add to it during the days before the meeting.
The leader reads the meeting list and keeps things on track. Still, letting each person in the family have a chance to lead is important. Younger children will need help to do this.
Take notes. Write down the agreements and plans made in the meeting. These written notes are the minutes. Take turns doing the job of note-taking. Some families put them on the refrigerator near the next meeting's agenda. Ask teens and older children to read the notes to younger children who don't read yet.
Take time for fun. Meetings are a good way to solve problems. To add fun to meetings, talk about good things. Thank each person for some help given during the week. Ask each person to do the same. Ask people to talk about what is good for them right now. This sets a positive tone. It also teaches your children to encourage other people—and themselves.
A. Take turns being the leader.
B. But that's not all they are for.
C. Here are some ideas to help you.
D. Some people wonder if a family meeting is worth the effort.
E. Find a place to post the notes so that everyone can read them.
F. This rule applies to parents as well as teens and younger children.
G. This helps you deal with the things that are important to each person in the family.
