REGULAR FAMILY MEETINGS ARE
GREAT FOR THE FAMILY.
WE ARE FINDING OUT HOW THE
MEETINGS CAN HELP IN OUR
RELATIONSHIP REBOOT.
REGULAR FAMILY MEETINGS -- WHAT
IS THE GOAL OF THIS?
THE GOAL OF THIS IS -- SO
THE PARENTS WOULD BE THE
DRIVERS TO SAY, WE NEED, AS A
FAMILY, A TIME TO GET TOGETHER
WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT ISSUES
THAT COME UP.
SOME OF THE ISSUES COULD BE
LIKE WHY WILL PAUL NEVER CLEAN
HIS ROOM?
OR WHEN DOES CINDY DO THE
DISHES?
IT CAN RANGE FROM ANYTHING AS
SMALL AS CHORES OR WHERE WILL
WE GO ON VACATION?
IT CAN GO ALL THE WAY UP TO THE
DIFFICULT TOPIC .
IT IS NOT JUST AN AIRING OF
GRIEVANCES.
IT IS INCLUDING THE KIDS IN THE
CONVERSATION.
EXACTLY.
IF WE WANT TO RAISE SOLID,
EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT AND
INDEPENDENT THINKERS ONE WAY WE
NEED TO DO THAT IS INVITE THEM
IN THE CONVERSATION.
IT IS NOT A DEMOCRACY.
PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE PARENTS
SAY AT THE END OF THE DAY NEEDS
TO GO.
HOWEVER, HAVING THE KIDS IN THE
CONVERSATION SAYS WE VALUE YOUR
VOICES.
WE'LL MODEL RESPECTFUL
CONVERSATION AROUND THIS.
WHAT DO KIDS LEARN FROM
THIS?
THEY LEARN CONVERSATION
SKILLS AND RESPECTFUL DIALOG.
IF YOU HAVE A LIST ON THE
FRIDGE OR BULLETIN BOARD WHERE
PEOPLE CAN WRITE DOWN WHAT THEY
WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS SAYING TO
TAKE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO TALK
ABOUT AND PUT IT ON THE LIST.
ON SUNDAY WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
WHICH MEANS EVERYBODY IS
CALMER.
YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION
ABOUT IT, WHICH WILL GO A LONG
WAY WHEN KIDS GROW UP AND
PARTNER OFF.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE MAD IT
IS NOT THE BEST TIME TO MANAGE
A CONFLICT.
IT IS NICE TO GET ALL THE BUY-
IN FROM THE KIDS.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT USING A
FAMILY MEETING FOR THE PARENTS
TO HAVE ANOTHER TIME TO LECTURE
AND SPEAK.
LEARNING ABOUT LISTENING IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
A WEEKLY OR BI-WEEKLY MEETING
IS WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND.
KEEP IT SHORT.
20 TO 30 MINUTES IS A GOOD
AMOUNT OF TIME TO FEEL LIKE
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR LITTLE SAY.
IF SOMETHING ROLLS OVER JUST
DEAL WITH IT NEXT TIME.
WE'LL TABLE THIS DISCUSSION
UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
IF YOU ARE A FAMILY THAT HAS
MEALS TOGETHER EVERY NIGHT,
WHICH WE KNOW NOT ENOUGH
FAMILIES DO, IS THAT NIGHTLY
MEAL GOOD ENOUGH?
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THE FAMILY MEAL BE A PLACE
WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED IN SCHOOL OR WORK.
IT IS A RELATIONAL CONVERSATION
RATHER THAN DOING A FAMILY
MEETING.
IT IS NOT THAT YOU CANNOT TALK
ABOUT FAMILY MEETING TOPICS
DURING DINNER BUT HOLD DINNER
SACRED.
IS I-- I WILL TELL YOU YOU
CANNOT BE TOO INTENTIONAL ABOUT
SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE KIDS
THAT THIS UNIT IS IMPORTANT.
TAKE A LITTLE BIT FROM THE
TOPIC DR. GI GI WAS TALKING
ABOUT.
THE FAMILY MEETING IS A PLACE
WHERE YOU COME TOGETHER WITH
THE FAMILY AND YOU CAN TALK
ABOUT THE SCHOOL SHOOTING.
WE ARE WONDERING HOW ARE YOU
DOING?
WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD FROM YOUR
FRIENDS?