|
|
| Parenting Information |
|
|
|
|
Top Ten Reasons to Hold Family MeetingsDan and Suzanne Bond 1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a closer family. In this very busy world, designating this time every week is one way to ensure that family members stay connected with one another. Relationships are living things, and must be nurtured. Family meetings are about nourishing our relationships with the most important people in our lives. Form the habit of connecting regularly. 2. Create family value statements and operating principles. Family meetings give you a chance to discuss what’s important to you as a family and to create family value statements, which reflect your collective thoughts. Similarly, they give you a chance to talk about how you want to operate together as a family and treat one another, by developing family operating principles. 3. Share appreciations and give thanks for our many blessings. This is a way to give children and adults permission to let one another know how much they are appreciated, and to share the many things they have to be thankful for. It is far too easy to take the blessings in our lives, and our loved ones, for granted if we do not form the habit of appreciating on a regular basis. 4. Improves family communication More and more today, family members are going in different directions and at break-neck speed. Add to this the fact that each person is unique and perceives the world in his or her own way. Miscommunication can cause hard feelings. It is crucial to never assume that what you are saying is being understood the way you intended it, or that you are understanding what others are trying to tell you. Always take the time to check perceptions. The family meeting can be a “rest area” where time is set aside to make certain that communications are clear. 5. Provide leadership experience Everyone gets a turn at leading the family meetings. This is a great way for children to get early leadership experience. Be certain that their contributions in this regard are honored and respected. You will be building a confident future leader, who will experience the joy of positive leadership. 6. Offers an opportunity to stay current regarding upcoming commitments, activities, and events. Family meetings are wonderful opportunities to review the family calendar, clarify who needs to be where and when, as well as who will be taking responsibility for what. Once again, clear communication and joint planning can relieve the ongoing stress of busy lives. 7. Gives an avenue to celebrate each other’s successes. This is most important. Family meetings should always contain a time to celebrate successes of each family member during the week. These need not be big, monumental events but can simply be every day successes. This not only creates pride and joy in daily life, but also forms the habit in each family member of looking for the positive in one another. 8. Provides time to plan family vacations, activities, and special events. This gives everyone in the family a chance to give their input into a family trip or experience, rather than the adults always doing the planning. When the whole family is involved, everyone is much more likely to enjoy the event. Investment in family activities, for each member, is often directly proportional to his or her involvement in the planning. A richer shared experience is most often the result. 9. Establish a safe, respectful environment to problem solve. By following the family’s operating principles, and with open and honest communication, children will learn that problems can be discussed openly and solved respectfully together. Creating win-win solutions takes practice, for adults as well as for children and youth. 10. Have fun together These meetings provide a great opportunity for the family to participate in fun family activities. As family members get to know one another better, share stories, laugh, and problem solve together, deeper relationships develop. Try to weave fun into every family meeting. Copyright 2004 by CoachVille & Dan and Suzanne Bond Duplication, with attribution, permitted and encouraged. www.CoachvVille.com From CoachVille’s “Awesome Dads, dare to be a hero!” community. Check us out at: http://dbc593.cvcommunity.com
| | | | RELATED ARTICLES Birth of a Parent So you’re pregnant. Congratulations! Your life is about to change in ways you might find unthinkable and we’re not even talking about the surrender of your once slim waistline to proportions most comparable to that of a Dr. Suess character. Pregnancy is the beginning of a new life for a baby, but also a new life for you as a parent. If this is your first baby, you may be filled with an endless list of questions and concerns. If you’re a veteran of the labor and delivery room, you’ve got a better idea what to expect, yet every pregnancy, like every mother and child, is different. 5 Steps to Raising an Optimistic Child I had just completed a session with 17-year old Julie who suffered from severe depression. Julie believed she was a total failure and would never be able to change anything in her life. Julie also felt all her shortcomings were her own fault. How to Have the “Perfect” Christmas “This year will be different. I vow I won’t get stressed out over presents, parties, cards, Christmas plays, putting up the tree and decorating, and all the many other tasks of the season. I will remember the true meaning of Christmas.” Parenting Yourself When You Have Small Children There’s no doubt about it - parenting small children takes a lot of time. So much time that it’s very easy to forget about your child within. Yet you cannot be a really good parent while forgetting about your own feelings, needs and well-being. Learning Through Senses – The Key To A Childs Development NC—The first few years of a childs life are full of new and exciting experiences that are absorbed like a sponge through the five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. From birth, newborns are bombarded with a busy world that they must learn to master. It is the senses that pave the way for a childs development throughout his or her life. Scorpios Child Scorpios get a lot of bad press. Theyre vindictive, mean, and obsessed with sex. Thats not really fair. Scorpio rules the house of sharing. They are the stewards of sharing money, resources, love, and yes sharing each others bodies. It is their deepest most spiritual need to be completely connected, loved, and sharing from the depth of their soul. Its from this place that they are so easily hurt. Wounded Scorpios are a force to be reckoned with and yes, theyre famously ruthless and cruel. How do you keep your own Scorpio child from becoming obsessive and mean What You Should Know About Scholarships When its time to go to college, the word "scholarship" is confusing for both students and parents.We automatically think about student loans, FAFSA, tuition and fees, EFC, grants, and work study.But what we dont realize is that knowing more about the scholarship process could save us thousands of dollars when trying to cover the cost of our kids education. How to Pick the Best Name for Your Baby Expectant parents spend hours preparing the nursery, poring over pregnancy and delivery books and going to childbirth classes.Yet surprisingly, many decide their child’s given name within a matter of minutes, often spending more time selecting the right car seat or stroller. Get Out of Jail Free: Stop Being Defensive When Marcus and Sally first met they immediately felt like kindred spirits. Marcus was generally warm and open. But as their relationship continued, Sally noticed that sometimes when he was upset he had trouble talking. When she asked Marcus what was bothering him, he would reply that nothing was wrong. Only when she coaxed him would he eventually tell her. As time went on, his resistance increased. The more she probed, the more reluctant he was . . . neither of them felt an ounce of kinship; they didn’t even like each other. Taking the War Out of Our Words, pp. 8-9 Fuzzy Names, Sweet Names As with everything, names go through cycles of change with passing generations.I also tend to think that names have improved immensely since the first Elmas, Minervas, Bufords, and Alfreds graced the baby’s room wearing appropriate nametags on their cribs. Graphology - Reveal the Inner Personality & Talent of a Child Graphology isthe science of understanding the human mind through person’shandwriting. When a person writes, the signal in the form of letters get decoded / printed on the paper by the fingers. Graphology aims at understanding & interpreting these signals through the writing. Using this we can know a persons mind so the thoughts, character and behavior. Why Kids Toys Are For Kids I have made a discovery in my adult life, kids toys were made for kids. Now I know you may be puzzled about this because we all have sat down and played with our children, but if you peer deeper into this issue you will see as I do. Your Child’s Self-Esteem is in The Cards Research has shown that the present generation of children worldwide is demonstrating more social-emotional challenges from low self-esteem to depression than ever before.Families, schools, recreation programs etc. are recognizing that it is critical our children be taught positive values like caring about others and oneself, behaving responsibly, recognizing and managing emotions and developing positive relationships. Creative Ideas for Easing Separation Anxiety Does your child exhibit separation anxiety at daycare drop-off Do you spend more than fifteen minutes struggling to calm your childs fears You are not alone. All parents at one time or another have experienced guilt, fear and remorse at the very thought of leaving their hysterical child in the arms of a non-relative. Eight Out Of 10 Kids In Child Safety Seats Are At Risk – And Their Parents DonT Even Realize It NC—Even the most informed parents make mistakes when installing child safety seats. According to a recent study by Transport Canada, eight out of 10 child safety seats are improperly installed. DaimlerChrysler Canada recognized the need to help parents properly install car seats and as a result has developed a free safety seat inspection service called Fit for a Kid®, that is open to any make or model of vehicle. Help Your Children to Love Reading It is so important to create an environment that promotes the love of reading. Not only is reading necessary for survival in today’s world, it is educational, it sparks imagination, it is a stress reliever, provides entertainment and enjoyment, the list goes on. Pay Attention!Its Your Most Important Job Anyone can become a parent; there are no tests or interviews to pass.Children can become parents, mentally disabled people – it’s even possible to become a parent while in a coma! Responding to Criticism Without Being Defensive In an actual war, to be attacked means to have our survival threatened. Thus, we might chose between surrender, withdrawal, or counterattack. When we feel attacked criticized or judged by others in conversation, we often move into that same kind of survival mentality and automatically defend ourselves. But conversation is different than war. When we defend against criticism, we give more power to the criticism and the person dishing it out than is warranted. A Dangerous Environment The internet is a dangerous place for your children. Dont even begin to believe that your child is safe. There are more dangers than you can possibly imagine waiting to lure children to their doom. You had better be aware of whats happening and take steps to shield them from the danger ... if you dont, your childs sanity and safety are at serious risk. Exercising With Kids -- Tips For Parents Making exercise a priority is a challenge for everyone. And for parents it can be especially difficult to find time to workout because of the full plates that they often juggle. When summer arrives the juggling act becomes even more tricky with kids home from school and involved in extracurricular activities. |
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |