Establishing Routines: The Family Meeting

For the next few weeks, all my blogs are going to revolve around the idea of establishing routines. As I flashback to my days as a Parent Educator in Centre County, PA, I am reminded of the importance of establishing routines. Think routines are just for babies and toddlers? Think again, we all thrive when we have a predictable routine. Life runs smoother for everyone when we know what to expect. Having a routine doesn't mean a structured activity for every minute of the day. The best part of a routine is the freedom to have down time when the work is done!

The Family Meeting:

The Starting Place for

Academic Success

If your old enough, you remember the sitcoms of the 1970s and all of the humor generated from the family meeting. Now I will truly age myself. No one does it better than Carol and Mike on The Brady Bunch. When conflict came up, which which was commonplace with six children, everyone gathered in one space to resolve the issue. Corny? Absolutely! But there is a take away that remains applicable - family meetings are the linchpin of a family's structure and routine. They are critical for socio-emotional development but they also can have a tremendous impact on your child's academic success. 

Think about it. How do most adults start their week, by making a plan, reviewing appointments, meetings, commitments, tracking tasks to do. We make lists, prioritize and schedule our way through the entire week. But how do we model these skills for our children? How do we teach them to be organized, efficient and responsible? We must model it, practice it, and talk it through on a regular basis. And there is no better place than a family meeting, once a week, on the same day. I have found that Sunday evenings work the best for most families. 

Follow these simple steps (to the right) and reap the benefits of this time with your children. I assure you that if you follow this with fidelity, you won't be disappointed. Is this for teens? Yes. Is this for preschoolers? Yes, but maybe in a different format. Can it be fun? Absolutely? End your meeting with a fun snack, a game or a favorite book or movie. Start the week off with good vibes! 

The Family Meeting:

  • Clear your schedule. Make it the same time every week, as much as is humanely possible. Just set aside 30 minutes. No excuses. No distractions.
  • Turn off the tv, phones, tablets. Leave electronics behind, unless you need a computer for planning. But limit tech as much as possible.
  • Have a rule. Everyone comes prepared and ready to stay for 30 minutes. 
  • The content of the meeting truly depends on the age of your child but let's focus on school age: review your schedule for the week, have your child complete their planner for school. You may find that it takes a few tries before you find a planner that works for your child. Keep experimenting until you land on the one that fits best. There are all kinds of digital planners, paper planners and even planners given out by the school. Show your child how you fill out your schedule for the week. Model best practices and then walk them through the process. 
  • Make sure that everyone is aware of events: sports practices, open house at school, dinner at Grandmas. 
  • Talk about anything that might be a challenge: a big test, a challenging soccer game. Strategize how you can support each other as you face these challenges.
  • Close with a positive word or thought about your family. Show your gratitude. Model for your children the priority you place on being with them. 

RESULTS: Less stress, clearer expectations and more success at school! You will see the difference. And your child will begin to understand how to manage their academic career in the most efficient and effective manner!