The Benefits of Family Meetings

According to Statistics Canada, more parents are working than ever before.  Today, more than twice as many Canadian mothers with children under the age of three have a job (as compared with those in 1976).  To boot, from 1961 to 2011, Canadian single-parent households doubled from 8% to 16%.  Add to the mix technological distractions such as the ability to work from home, social media, texting, and phone calls that follow us wherever we go.

With most parents each holding at least one full-time job combined with busy lifestyles how does one build a strong family unit? How do we address various issues surrounding modern family life? Should we make time for a family meeting? Research stresses the importance of conducting family meetings to foster open communication and establish stronger ties within the household. Thus, it is highly recommended to incorporate family meetings into our way of life.

When do we need it?

Just like a business meeting, holding family meetings need to be consistent (weekly, monthly, etc.). Family meetings are one way of touching base with family members.  What is everyone currently spending time and energy on? Meetings are most beneficial in instances where there is conflict and problems need immediate solutions.  A family may also get together to talk about topics that will encourage positive changes in everybody’s lives.

Why a family meeting?

Every strong family is built on the foundations of respect and trust. For that reason, each member must feel that they play key role in the decision-making process.  Everyone’s opinion matters.  Making time for a family meeting will cement the family bond. The family should move and think like a team.

What to talk about?

There are a thousand and one topics to discuss at a family meeting. We can start by talking about current activities and our dreams and aspirations for the future. Younger children could simply describe their achievements at school – which encourages parents to be involved in their kids’ lives.  Parents may choose to talk about the work – which gives kids a hint of how adults spend their day productively. Slowly, we can build up the agenda to include more serious topics like behavioral conflicts at school, relocating to another city, or even sensitive societal issues like politics or religion. It will depend on the parents’ assessment of the maturity and openness of the younger members of the family as not everyone is capable of grasping such difficult topics.

How to do it?

Each person must feel heard when it is their time to speak about their concerns. Choose one person to become the facilitator and write down a simple list of agendas or guidelines to follow. Equal time for talking must be allotted for each speaker. Furthermore, interruptions, corrections, and criticisms should be disallowed. The overall time for a family meeting must also not be more than one hour.  The meeting could be concluded with an exciting game, a sumptuous dinner, or another fun family activity like a movie. Perhaps most importantly, making time for a family meeting will have lasting positive effects.  Starting kids early helps them develop the essential skills of open communication.  It teaches them to respect differing opinions. and it builds character.  Kids who know they have a strong support system at home will be more confident to face any challenges they may encounter now and later in life.