Getting Started with Weekly Family Meetings
It’s back-to-school season for most families I know. Even for our family, we are getting ready to drive our daughter out east for her sophomore year of college. While it can bring up a lot of bittersweet emotions about the end of summer and what we did and didn’t do over the summer, it can also be a time of new beginnings and getting back into a routine.
Routines offer numerous benefits for individuals and families alike. They provide structure, predictability, and a sense of stability in our often busy and unpredictable lives. Routines help us stay focused, organized, and better equipped to handle life's challenges.
And nothing can be more challenging for a family than the first 4-6 weeks of school. New classes, new teachers, intense practices, games, performances, and meet-the-teacher events seem to be packed into the last days of summer and the start of fall.
Having a way to reset each week as a family is indispensable for keeping the entire family on track and connected. Here are a few ways weekly family meetings can improve family dynamics.
1. Communication and Connection: Family meetings allow open and honest communication between parents and children. It allows everyone to express their thoughts, concerns, and feelings in a respectful and supportive environment. Regular meetings strengthen the family's bond, helping build trust and understanding.
2. Problem Solving: Family meetings allow everyone to participate in decision-making processes and problem-solving discussions. Involving every family member gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership over the decisions that affect them. It also teaches them valuable problem-solving skills and encourages critical thinking.
3. Conflict Resolution: Family meetings provide a structured setting for addressing conflicts and finding resolutions. They create a safe space for discussing issues, listening to different perspectives, and finding compromises. By involving children and teens in conflict resolution, they learn how to handle conflicts constructively, which is a valuable life skill.
4. Setting Expectations: Family meetings are an excellent platform to establish clear expectations and boundaries. It allows parents to communicate their expectations regarding responsibilities, chores, curfews, school performance, and other aspects of teenage life. The children can also express their expectations from parents and the family. Clear expectations set during family meetings help reduce misunderstandings and conflicts.
5. Teaching Life Skills: Family meetings can be used as an opportunity to teach kids important life skills. Topics like budgeting, time management, cooking, and problem-solving can be discussed and taught during these meetings.
6. Strengthening Family Values: Family meetings provide a platform to reinforce and discuss family values, traditions, and beliefs. They help teenagers understand the importance of these values and how they contribute to the family's overall well-being. It's an opportunity for parents to model and instill values like respect, empathy, responsibility, and kindness. Consider writing a Family Mission Statement to support these goals.
7. Support and Empathy: Family meetings can be a place to offer emotional support and empathy, allowing kids and parents to share their struggles, concerns, and achievements. It helps create a supportive environment where family members can provide encouragement and offer solutions to overcome challenges. This can be especially helpful for parents if they also share their struggles and achievements. It’s important for children to see that each parent has a life outside of parenting.
8. Fostering Independence: Involving all members in family meetings empowers them and encourages their independence. It shows that their opinions and ideas are valued and respected. By actively participating in decision-making processes, children develop a sense of autonomy and learn to take responsibility for their actions.
Getting started with Weekly Family Meetings can feel like more work than reward at the beginning. Start small and stick with it. Here is a quick list of helpful ways to get started.
Routine is not a prison but the way to freedom from time. - Deepak Chopra