Regrouping Family Meeting

Are you feeling like you’re always rushing from one event to the next for your kids? Are you struggling to connect with your tween through texts rather than real conversations? It might be time for a regrouping family meeting. Read on to learn how to plan one and create meaningful moments with your loved ones.

Why Gather?

Having a family meeting is similar to having a board meeting for a company. Issues need to be discussed in order to find solutions. Here are a few of the most well-liked prompters:

• Concerns involving interpersonal relationships. Arguments over sharing toys, calling each other names, and being picked on. Sibling rivalry is a major contributing factor. Also common are escalations of tension between children and their parents.
• The “Expanding of Business.” New privileges often come with new rules that need to be discussed, whether it’s a cell phone or a later curfew.
• Problems with the budgeting process. Consider a “larger allowance” instead. The negotiations must take place in a public setting where everyone can keep their attention on the job at hand.
• Coordinate everyone’s plans. Get a handle on upcoming factors that could affect the entire family, such as major events, practices, performances, games, deadlines, and so on. Discuss what’s to come (and any potential pitfalls!) by taking a look into the future.

Time for some rules.

How do you hold a productive family gathering? Each one will be uniquely styled, of course. However, there are some guidelines to follow.

• On a regular basis. Maintain a regular schedule, whether it’s once a week or once a month, as the kids get older. They will eventually become an integral part of the routine and improve health.
• Use a plan of action. The key is to think about bullet points rather than a turbocharged “outline” to ensure that you cover all the bases. If you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to get sidetracked.
• Stir things up. However, it’s also beneficial to shift the emphasis occasionally. Schedule-related topics might be discussed in detail at one meeting, while more philosophical or spiritual topics might be broached at another.
• Pay attention to the time. The average attention span of a preschooler is only about 15 to 20 minutes, so a meeting of that length is probably manageable. Teenagers are able to focus and pay attention for the full 30 minutes.

Tips for the group:

Keep in mind that true bonding — and life lessons — occur when everyone is involved in the family meetings. Simply switching to lecture mode won’t work. These suggestions will help you keep things kid-focused (and fair):

• Motivate young minds to think creatively by inviting them to solve problems. Kids can often come up with their own solutions to everyday problems, such as sharing toys or letting the dog out. And when they have a hand in making the plan, they are much more likely to see it through.
• Try a “talking stick” instead. Furthermore, some authorities advise appointing a different “leader” for each meeting and providing that person with a “talking stick” to use during discussions. You can imagine this as a plastic hammer or some other form. Everyone who wants to speak must have the stick in their hands. When one player is finished, they pass it to the next (a great opportunity to practice turn-taking).
• Do something enjoyable afterward. Gather everyone together and play board games, go bowling, or do something else that everyone in the family enjoys doing together. It’s a great way to close out the story.

Meaningful articles you might like: The Secret To Raising A Happy Baby, Online Counselling for Teens: What Parents Need to Know, 8 Strategies to Encourage Children to Cooperate