In this article, we explore an extract from Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD who shares the benefits of family meetings for children.

Family meetings are opportunities for parents and children to discuss important issues, strengthen communication, reinforce values, and nurture positive relationships.

Often, parents and kids are reluctant to adopt family meetings because they don’t understand their purpose and structure. Some parents fear it will lessen their authority. Conversely, children may view family meetings as a way for parents to enforce rules and restrictions.

8 Benefits of Family Meetings

When effectively organized and led, there are many benefits of holding family meetings for children and parents.  Family meetings strengthen relationships and foster core developmental abilities in kids of all ages. These abilities prepare children for youth leadership positions in their schools and communities as they mature and develop. Holding family meetings is an intentional way to help raise genuinely successful kids with internal abilities that help them navigate through life. Meetings provide a regular opportunity to:

• Learn about each other and the world. (Curiosity)
• Practice communication skills. (Sociability)
• Overcome challenges together. (Resilience)
• Reflect on feelings. (Self-awareness)
• Live your family values. (Integrity)
• Set and achieve shared goals. (Resourcefulness)
• Have fun and inspire one another. (Creativity)
• Appreciate and understand your loved ones. (Empathy)

Dr. Jane Nelsen, founder of Positive Discipline and author/coauthor of the Positive Discipline Series, has been teaching parents to use family meetings for several decades. If your family isn’t ready to jump right into family meetings, Dr. Nelsen offers an effective “training plan” to help introduce meetings to your family over the course of a month.

It is important to mention that some families have a pattern of arguing and violence like slapping, pushing, and hitting that can be difficult to break. Family meetings can be a strategy to reduce anger, but it is not a magic fix. If your family is experiencing these types of conflicts, please read this excellent publication from Colorado State University to assess if family therapy should be considered as a first step.

Introducing Family Meetings to Children

At first, the idea of family meetings can be intimidating to children, especially teens. One reason is because children don’t know what to expect. They are likely unfamiliar with ways families meet more formally to plan, organize, problem-solve, and make decisions.

Family meetings work well with children from about four years old onward. If you’ve never had a family meeting, take time to introduce the concept to your children before you dive in. The best time to do this is when you have their full attention, either over dinner or at another time when you’ve asked them to gather.

You might start by saying that you’ve recently learned how weekly meetings can benefit families by helping them communicate and solve problems together as a team. Because family meetings work toward building consensus, everyone has a voice and a role in solving problems. Meeting time is also an opportunity to have fun, plan trips, organize family outings and service projects, and appreciate each other.