Family Meeting

Having regular family meetings is a great way to unite a family.  Not only do they help parents and children work together as a team, they help to alleviate stress.  When parents seek out the thoughts and needs of their children, it makes the children feel valued, and it helps them develop a high self-esteem.  Additionally, interactions children have in family meetings give them much needed skills they can use throughout their lives. 

Regular family meetings encourage:

·         Listening skills

·         Cooperation

·         Conflict management skills

·         Good communication skills

·         Problem solving

·         Increased closeness

·         Respect

Parents don’t need to take full responsibility for making and enforcing the rules.  When children take part in this process, it teaches them accountability and increases autonomy.  As they become more aware of their actions and consequences, children learn important self-regulating skills that will benefit them as children and as adults.  Your home will run more efficiently because you are teaching your children to be more efficient people.

Main points to discuss in a family meeting include:

What worked well this week?

What didn’t work well this week?

What can we work on in the coming week? 

10 Steps to a Successful Family Meeting:

1. Plan a regular time and place
2. Thank everyone for coming, show appreciation
3. Discuss what went well during the week, allowing each member to share
4. Discuss what didn’t work well during the week, allowing each member to share  
5. Work as family brainstorming ways to solve issues
6. Discuss family rules, allowing children to help determine what they are
7. Discuss consequences, allowing children to help determine what they are
8. Discuss what can be done to improve in the coming week
9. End with refreshments
10. Repeat weekly

Those who are religious may want to open and close each meeting with a prayer.

Don’t worry! 

Meetings don’t need to be long or formal.  While they should contain each of the steps mentioned above, this can all be accomplished in under 30 minutes, and should be, especially if you have young children. 

Written by:

Sharee Stuart

Wife and mother of 3

Student at Brigham Young University-Idaho