Today’s family seems busier than ever, so it’s really important to make the time for family meetings. Rather than tackling crises and scheduling dilemmas as they arrive, families can take the reigns by establishing family meetings.

Though these meetings will be different for every family, they all offer the same benefits. Family meetings provide safe space for discussing conflicts, create a sense of unity and authentic communication, and build self-esteem by making every member of the family feel important and heard.

Tips for Effective Family Meetings:

• Consider your family’s schedule. Do not hold your family meetings on a night you know will often present conflicts. The meeting must become a priority to everyone.
• On the night of the family meetings, prepare the family’s favorite dinner and dessert. This will help to motivate 100% attendance. Maybe even sandwich the meeting between dinner and dessert!
• Keep the meetings brief (especially if young children are involved) and calm-toned.
• Establish a set (keep it simple) of rules that will govern how meetings are held. This could be a great topic for your first meeting. Write the rules down and keep them visible at the first few meetings.
• Consider the “go-around” method for giving everyone equal opportunity to share. It may be helpful to have a “talking object” that the one whose turn it is to speak holds.
• Insist that no one bring cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices to the meetings.
• Post a meeting agenda on the refrigerator and let family members add topics before the meeting.
• End each meeting with a summary of the discussion points so everyone is clear. If events have been added to the calendar, be sure to make that calendar visible to all involved.

As your family grows and ages, your specific meeting needs will change. These established meetings, though, can continue to be a glue holding you together as life twists and turns all around you.

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