Family Meetings

This weeks Parenting Tool is: Family Meetings
I have to say, this is the tool I have the least experience with.  I have never actually been a part of a real family meeting Positive Discipline style.  To start the week I read about Family Meetings in my PD book.  Then I went onto the PD website and downloaded the Family Meeting Album. Finally I read Jane Nelson's Family Meeting Training Plan.  Once I was armed with knowledge and printouts I decided on a day for our first meeting and announced it to my family!
Our first meeting was tonight.  After we had dinner and put the baby to bed we gathered in the living room.   Following the Training Plan we started by talking about what family meetings are, why they can be helpful, the 5 components of the family meeting(compliments, agenda, brainstorming solutions,  planning family fun, and a fun family activity) and the three jobs (Chairperson, recorder, and timekeeper).  Then we went over what an agenda is, remember we are just three people, me, my husband, and our 5 year old daughter.  We then talked about some ideas that could be agenda items and we practiced brainstorming solutions.  We ended by talking about what compliments are and planned to start with them next week.  After our meeting our chosen family fun activity was playing doll house.  I am sure you can guess who suggested that idea!
This first meeting when great!  It felt good to know we were starting something that would really add strength to our family.  Our daughter was excited to try different jobs and to plan fun events for the future.  She even came up with a possible agenda item as we were playing after the meeting.  She claims that she always finds our bathroom light left on and "that is not good for the environment", so she is going to put that on the agenda.  I have a feeling we may end up with a really long agenda this next week.  Hmmm, I wonder what we'll do then?  Maybe we pick the top three items, each of us choose the one most important to us?  We will try that for now!  I will try to report back once we really get into the true meetings to let you know how we are doing and how they are affecting or family.

Next weeks tool is: Compliments.  Oh, that will coincide perfectly with our next family meeting!