After each lesson, you will hold a fun Family Meeting.
To make meetings effective, the person planning the meeting needs to use the Family Meeting Agenda that corresponds with your current lesson, found in “Family Activities” (click on the book image, or find it under Family Activities in the menu bar).
Every family member should be able to add items to the Agenda to discuss in the upcoming Meeting. During each Family Meeting you will discuss and practice things you learned in the “Finding Home!” lessons. These might be practicing new skills, discussing topics that came up during the lesson, and completing projects in which every family contributes ideas.
Family Meetings are the most important and impactful parts of SFP Finding Home!
The family meetings are where all the work in your lessons come together. Working on these skills together is vital!
Primary Member’s Responsibilities:
The “Primary” family member, who is taking responsibility for the meeting planning and Agenda, will have some tasks specifically assigned to them. One of these is reviewing the responses of family members to their assigned “Family Activities.”
For example, when your kids come up with ideas for their “My Time” activities, you will sort and edit these activities (maybe to clarify them, or correct typos, or remove duplicates.) Any edits that change the meaning of the contributed idea should be held off until the meeting so you can discuss it.
Your goal is to come up with shared ideas and shared responsibility so that everyone in your family, children included, feel good about having a say, while helping define how to have a happy family!
Each Agenda has two-four sections to be discussed or practiced as a family. The Primary takes responsibility to either print the agenda or bring it with them (on a laptop, tablet or phone if no larger format screen is available.) The agenda will have a place for notes, to used during the meeting (and written on the paper or typed into the device being used.)
Important for Family Meetings:
- Set your family meeting to correspond to the schedule for your lessons. For example, if your family has committed to completing a lesson every other week, your meeting times might be every other Wednesday evening at 7pm. Get everyone to agree to attend.
- Have the meeting even if only two attend. Others may join when they see it is a positive experience and realize decisions will affect them.
- Everyone should have a chance to talk, and have a say in what’s decided.
- Make sure everyone is respected and treated with love and kindness.
- The experience should be fun and rewarding. . Consider including snacks, play time after or something you will all enjoy equally.
You’re almost ready for the Family Agenda for Lesson 1!
Once you’re near the planned day of your meeting (and the other family members have completed the lesson), you can open the Agenda from the “Family Meeting Agendas” page.
Here, you will be able to see the information everyone in your family entered. The Primary for the family will review these entries and do any editing that is needed to make them readable. Remember, do NOT change the MEANING of these entries until you are in your family meeting!
The Primary should also ask any family member who have not completed the assignment to enter the information requested. The Activities can be completed during the lesson, During the meeting these can also be edited or added if needed.
In addition to Family Meetings, daily family meals are really important.
Pleasant family dinners are a good way to share values and help kids bond with family.
A little advanced planning will make dinner time easy. Family menus should include favorite, brain-healthy ingredients. Pre-teach table manners and make mealtime pleasant by complimenting those who use them; don’t allow criticism at the dinner table.
During the meal, you can use your conversation cards, and share kind deeds you’ve done! This is a great time to discuss the new skills you’ve learned in SFP Finding Home, and practice using them.
