Effective parenting helps children develop social, communication, and problem solving skills. Family meetings are a positive discipline principle fostering growth in all these areas. Regular family conferences give children opportunities to experience teamwork, cooperating to find solutions to family problems.
Involve the Whole Family
Whether you are parenting teenagers or raising a preschool family, you will benefit from this parenting strategy. Children ages four and older profit from participation. Consistent use during the teen years diffuses tension and mitigates power struggles.
Regularity is Key
Hold family meetings on the same day each week. Let everyone know, through words and actions, that the meeting is the most important part of family routine. If you are inconsistently motivated, your children will not be keen to participate.
Each meeting develops effective problem solving and communication skills. Don’t allow problems to fester or alternately be forgotten. Preschool children benefit from more frequent meetings. Address an issue while your child still finds it relevant, has a fresh memory, and is motivated to find solutions.
The Family Agenda
A key component is the family agenda. Place a special notebook in a prominent place. The kitchen is often best. As situations arise throughout the week that are not readily resolved, family members write items down for the next meeting. Smaller children can dictate their concerns to an adult and even scribble on a page to feel included.
Family meetings effectively address a wide range of parenting concerns: chores, sibling rivalry, name-calling, backtalk, curfews, defiance, homework, television time, and many other issues. Include family business such as vacation planning, recreation, allowances, and coordinating schedules. Items can be as significant as a teenager caught sneaking out to drink alcohol or as mundane as picking a movie rental. Work together to find solutions.
