How to Start Having Family Meetings

Having family meetings is a great way for family members to stay connected. It’s easy to get distracted by our own lives and lose focus on the bigger picture. Every family member has their things going on, but you still have to function as a family unit and care for each other.

Creating a space for family conversations allows everyone to stop what they’re doing and focus on each other for a change.

If you have a teenage son who won’t bond with the family or only focuses on himself, it can be tough to bring everyone together in the way you want. Though family meetings will likely feel awkward at first, everyone will get used to them and become more comfortable with them.

It’s important for everyone in the family to feel valued and know that their opinion matters. When your son starts to feel like he is valued within the family meetings, he will probably warm up to them.

If your son consistently refuses to participate in the family meetings or tries to sabotage the meetings, he may need additional intervention. Kids who refuse to be part of the family or attempt to cause chaos within their family often have underlying mental health problems.

Contact us for more information about our boarding school for troubled boys to see if therapeutic intervention could help your son.

Why have family meetings?

Family meetings give everyone a chance to share more about their day-to-day activities, major life events, and upcoming plans. Even though you might spend time together throughout the day, most families don’t get the chance to sit down without distractions and talk to each other.

While the rest of your time together can also be important and help you bond with your kids, it’s not the same as bringing everyone together.

Some benefits of family meetings include:

Staying up to date with everyone in the family. This is a chance for all of you to talk about big events in your lives. It might be something major like getting an acceptance letter to college. Or it might seem small, like trying out for a sports team at school. No matter the event, it’s important for each family member to know that they’re supported and know that their family cares.

Getting input on family decisions. If you are coming up on a family decision, the family meeting is a built-in time to get everyone’s input. Again, these decisions could be major, or they could be minor. Maybe you’re thinking of moving and want your kids’ input befo