Successful families don't just happen. They take time, talent and planning. This month, in addition to any personal resolutions you make, consider sitting down with your family to reflect on your collective accomplishments and dreams. Then set some family goals for the year ahead.
How to begin ?
Schedule. Set aside a few hours over a series of nights, and gather together everyone in your home. Your teens will need notice, but tasty treats might help attendance.
Share the purpose. You will be discussing your wants, dreams and the values you hold important in your lives, then using them to develop goals to guide your family.
Reflect. Consider having each member choose and record one really important goal from each category:
Health
Financial
Relationships
Career
Community
Spiritual
Intellectual
Discuss. Share your ideas. Be open and accepting. Some might need to a little coaxing to share, for fear of being ridiculed. However, if done in an atmosphere of mutual respect, this can be a great opportunity to really get to know your family! It can also give insight into people's frustrations & stressors, as you learn about the ideals they hold important in their lives
Analyze. Are they feasible? Are they specific enough? Look for similarities. Do any overlap with others?
Write. Now collectively create a series of statements to both collapse and capture these common desires. These will become your family goals. For example:
We are a kind and loving family who is thankful for all that we have.
We value & support family and friends.
We exercise regularly and lead healthy lives.
We share our time, talents and resources with others.
We invest in the future financially and spiritually.
We strive for excellence in education, and encourage life-long learning.
Celebrate. You now have a set of goals to help guide your family's decision-making. Everyone can now weigh choices against these statements to determine if they lead your family closer or further from your family's goals.
Post & review. Whether you frame your goals or carry copies in your wallets, take time each day, week, & month to reflect and review what you have accomplished. Are you making choices which support these goals? Don't worry if you slip. Even the most effective families can be off track most of the time! The trick that keeps them on target is their shared sense of focus and destination. They know where they are headed, and they keep coming back to it.
Thoughts to ponder ?
Change is hard. Old habits are difficult to overcome. Be patient and supportive of one another.
Involve everyone. The process of family goal setting can help give family members a better sense of "voice". Telling your family what their goals are will not promote acceptance.
Take your time. Creating family goals should be a process, not a one day event.
Regardless of your family type ? big, small, divorced or blended, adoptive or otherwise, successful families don't just happen. So, make a plan and provide the focus needed to achieve your dreams & goals.
For additional information be sure to check out:
The On-Purpose Person: Making Your Life Make Sense by Kevin McCarthy
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey
Family First: Your Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family by Dr. Phil McGraw
?2005 Rob Stringer.com - reprinted with permission
Award-winning educator, speaker and author, Rob Stringer coaches and assists parents with his upbeat approach to learning, and parenting. For more ideas, resources or workshop information, visit http://www.robstringer.com or call (905) 544-1938 today.
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..Have you ever experienced one of those days when you... Read More
Imagine a child who lacks ownership of his own life,... Read More
During one "generation gap" quarrel with his parents young Michael... Read More
I had my first two children on either side of... Read More
To have reasonable expectations of our children is an important... Read More
There is nothing pleasant about failure, at least not at... Read More
Home schooling benefits children. As a parent, I feel it... Read More
In stepfamilies, big holiday expectations can lead to big disappointment--and... Read More
Lets face it becoming a mum is a bit of... Read More
Moms, did you ever question your value as a role... Read More
The First Reason: For one thing, child development experts are... Read More
I don't know how people raise daughters because I have... Read More
Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal... Read More
In seminars I am often asked about pocket-money and whether... Read More
Volunteering together is a fantastic way to spend time as... Read More
1 "Law of Belonging": The greatest need of teenagers (after... Read More
Former students would probably attest to the fact that few... Read More
Non-compliance is the family therapist's big word for your child... Read More
Do you have a wild child? Then this article may... Read More
Whether children attend public or private schools, they benefit when... Read More
Strollers offer a wonderful and convenient service to parents and... Read More
You are sitting with the professionals who know about learning... Read More
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain... Read More
Just two days ago, another 15-year old child was added... Read More
As mothers, we play so many different roles and most... Read More
cleaning help near Bannockburn ..Chiladult? Whatever you call them, teenagers are a changin' and... Read More
"Money is tight, and my husband's obsessed with doing everything... Read More
What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More
As a parent your biggest responsibility is to prepare your... Read More
How can two or three children in the same family... Read More
The successful preschool idea behind many successful preschool learning centers... Read More
Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say... Read More
As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to... Read More
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
Does your child pout, blame and brood? Does he gripe,... Read More
It's no joy to be sick. It's even less joy... Read More
Most of our Founding Fathers, including Ben Franklin, Sam Adams,... Read More
Karen, a single never-married thirty-year old attorney has a four-year... Read More
For many years underparenting was perhaps the biggest problem facing... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
There is no doubt that the benefits of being a... Read More
The formula is pretty straightforward: energy in/energy out. This is... Read More
Choosing a good car seat for your child's protection is... Read More
"Walk through any toy store and you will see walls... Read More
What is child sexual abuse? Any sexual activity that is... Read More
Often I have heard that leaders are born, not made.... Read More
Vouchers, which give tax money to parents to pay for... Read More
Congratulations on your new baby! You have just brought your... Read More
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the phrase that is... Read More
Summer Survival The... Read More
Parenting |