Family Meetings Help Kids Discuss And Build Character Too
By Jean Tracy, MSS, Fri Dec 9th
When my boys were growing up, soccer, football, and basketballkept us on the run. Both my husband (Jim's a psychologist) and Iwere therapists. We helped others manage their lives yet our ownlives were spinning out of control. We knew we needed to makeface-to-face time with our boys. We wanted them to share ourvalues, to learn how to solve people problems, and to havefamily fun together. Worried about who's influencing your kids? Are your familymembers too busy for each other? Do activities, television, andcomputers replace family time? If so, there is an answer.
We decided to start Family Meetings so we bought one ofthose books with empty
pages. We scheduled our meetings the sametime every week, right after Sunday breakfast. Our youngest son, Brian, was only four when we started. Iremember laughing to myself when his brother, Scott, age 8, gotmad because Brian always chose the same thing "to make thefamily better." "I'll draw a picture for the refrigerator,"promised Brian. "That doesn't make the family better," arguedScott. Brian kept on drawing pictures. Over the years we found many ways "to make the familybetter:" 1. We played family games. 2. We planned family trips. 3. The boys promised to do their homework before playing. 4.Scott promised not to tease Brian. 5. Brian promised toclear the table right after dinner, etc.
Once we got started we felt a special closeness as we workedtogether. You will too. That's why I created CharacterBuilding with the Family Meeting Diary. Remember how Brian always drew pictures to "make the familybetter?" Brian's an adult now. He still draws pictures. In fact,he designed my website. Be sure and take a peak. It's listedbelow.
About the author:Jean Tracy, MSS, Edmonds, WA Subscribe to Jean Tracy'sFree parenting newsletter, Tips and Tools forCharacter Builders at http://KidsDiscuss.com BestEzines.com rates over 101,000 newsletters. Jean's newsletteris rated in the top ten for parenting newsletters! You'llalso find her new book, Character Building with the FamilyMeeting Diary at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com |
