How to Have a Successful Family Meeting
In today's hectic world, it can be difficult to keep your family close and to help each family member navigate life's difficulties. Parents and children face pressures that can create stress and anxiety. Learning how to have a family meeting can help reduce the problems that arise. Whether you are in a nuclear family, a blended family or a multi-generational family, having successful family meetings can support communication and promote peace in any family.
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Instructions
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Choose a day and time for your family meeting. Find a time when all family members can be present, avoiding days that are already very busy. Choose a time when there are no distractions, such as a favorite TV show, or other pressing activities such as sports or business meetings. Deciding on a day and time convenient for all family members will make meeting attendance easier and less stressful.
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Emphasize the importance of regular attendance. Remind family members that if they are absent family decisions will be made without them.
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Begin each meeting with a round of compliments. If your family is small, each person can give every other person a compliment. If your family is larger, each person can turn to the person on his left, for instance, and give that person a compliment. Compliments start the meeting on a constructive note and encourage family members to focus on the positive elements in your family.
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Create ground rules such as:
All opinions will be respected.
No speaking when someone else is speaking.
Discussions will be respectful and calm.
No put-downs.
Notes will be kept for each meeting.
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Choose a chairperson and a secretary. The chairperson will be responsible for keeping discussions straightforward and keeping the meeting on task. The secretary will keep notes of what is discussed during the meeting and decisions that are made.
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Keep meetings short. In the beginning, only discuss two or three topics. Keep discussions concise. If a topic seems to be getting out of control, the chairperson should bring the discussion back to the topic at hand and move toward resolution.
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Come to a consensus or vote on decisions. If your family cannot come to a consensus on a subject, table the discussion until the next meeting and make this discussion a priority at the next meeting. If a subject needs immediate attention and is timely, such as where the family will go for dinner the following evening, a popular vote may be taken.
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Plan a fun family activity at the end of the meeting, such as playing a game or watching a movie together. Ending a meeting by doing something pleasant gives each participant something to look forward to, encourages family togetherness and ends the meeting on a positive note.
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Tips & Warnings
Have realistic expectations. Don't expect all problems to be addressed or solved at the first meeting.
Review your notes from the last meeting. This will help you see how effective your decisions and discussions have been.
Keep trying. It may take a few meetings before everyone will understand how meetings work and see the benefits.
If a family meeting must be canceled, reschedule it as soon as possible.
Do not bring up sensitive or personal topics such as drug abuse, sexual activity or mental illness during family meetings. Topics like these should be dealt with privately or with the help of a counselor or doctor.
References
- Photo Credit family of four on grass image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
