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A Parent’s Survival Guide for the Adolescent Years

She is My Daughter

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I’m Counting to 10 … Hope and Humor for Frazzled Parents

How to Have a Happy Marriage When You’re Busy Being Parents

What Our Words and Actions are Really Telling Our Children

Ten Talks Parents Must Have With Their Children About Drugs and Choices

Ten Best Gifts for Your Teen

Revisiting the Mommy Track

The History of Family Rules

60 One-Minute Memory Makers

MotherLove

Family Togetherness
Family Conferences

Family conferences can make family planning and decision making a lot more fun at your house. Listen to one mom’s experience: “We started family conferences when our older child was seven and our younger was three.

Even at those young ages, the children enjoyed them, respected the decisions that came out of them, and learned the basics of leading a meeting in a fun way.”

Rules for family conferences can be simple:

1. Anyone can call a family conference, but adequate notice must be given. It is best if they are planned for Family Nights. No one should be forced to cancel previously made plans.
2. All family members must be present at a family meeting.
3. The agenda is open. Each person has a chance to bring up any topic, whether action is needed on it or not. No new topic can be brought up until the one being discussed is completed.
4. The leader for the family meeting rotates. Minutes are kept so that what is decided and who leads the meeting are not in question. (You might want to select a regular minutes-keeper.)
5. Parents have the right to say that a topic may be discussed, but is not open to a vote. (This rule comes in handy when children want to discuss chores repeatedly and want to vote that they don’t have to do any.)
6. Each person has one vote. Majority rules. Ties mean no action – nothing changes. (If the children outnumber the parents, don’t worry. You just have to be careful not to let things that would harm the family come to a vote. For example, you can discuss which child does what chores but not vote on whether or not the chores can be transferred to the parents.)
7. Each person must vote what he or she thinks is best, not what someone else lobbies for. In other words, family members vote their hearts. No deal making. (That’s called political purity.)