🔎 Deep Dive 🔍
Here’s an overview of the essential concepts that I incorporate into every plan. Remember, your family meeting should reflect your values.
Does your family value efficiency? Kick off the opening ceremony right at the dinner table.
Looking to deepen spiritual connections? Read Scripture together and discuss.
Do you prefer songs from the 60s? Close it out with the Beatles, Beach Boys or Rolling Stones 🤘
🎉 Opening Ceremony 🎉
Set the tone for the meeting by establishing a great atmosphere. Start by minimizing distractions—turn off the TV, put away phones and gather everyone in a designated space. Consider utilizing various areas of your home for family meetings; we've held ours indoors, outdoors, in bedrooms, living rooms, dens, kitchens, and even on the roof!
Incorporating a quote is a staple in all of my plans and serves as a fantastic kick-off.
As our family meeting evolved, we’ve added a few other elements to the opening ceremony, all of which are lead by the weekly rally leader. This gives everyone a chance to lead in a very comfortable environment.
Our ceremony is lead by a rotating rally leader
Recite family mission statement
High five
Quote - read and discuss
Prayer
CELEBRATE THE BLESSINGS!
We highlight everything great that has happened since our last family meeting
Time: 3-10 minutes
What does your ceremony look like? Take the time to define the elements that you want to repeat — you won’t regret it.
︖ Probing Question ⸮
The probing question is a chance to learn about others and be vulnerable. The questions are wide-ranging from favorite things to dreams to tough experiences. In my family meeting template, I have a bullet point for each family member and take notes of their responses to the probing question.
Time: 2-3 minutes
🧠 Trivia Question 🧠
Engage your brain with a fun trivia challenge. Allow everyone to guess the answer and watch how quickly your children improve their estimation skills. Sometimes we play The Price is Right! rules (closest without going over), other times just closest. One thing I’ve learned: you better have the source as occasionally this section gets heated if your family is competitive.
Time: 2-3 minutes
📙 Word of the Week 📙
Learning words together is fun and a great opportunity to work on spelling and trying to define the word.
Make sure to to choose words that are around your children’s skill level.
Time: 1 minute
🎙️ Main Event 🎙️
The central activity of the meeting. Consider if your family would be best served by revealing the plan in advance — perhaps at a meal or on the way to an activity. I typically keep the plan close to the vest but if I’m doing an activity that will get messy or is more intellectually challenging, I give everyone a heads up to think about it beforehand. Choose your own adventure.
Time: 10-45 minutes
🎶 Closing Ceremony 🎶
Act a fool! We close out with dancing to a fun song and a huddle. As my boys have gotten older, they sometimes hesitate to dance (which is fine!) but we crank it up loud and bust a move no matter what.
We end with our hands together and the rally leader chooses the “sendoff” word, typically an application from the main event.
Time: 3-5 minutes
Design your own closing ceremony and ritual and don’t be afraid to embrace something quirky.
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."
- Arthur C. Clarke
🪞Reflections 🪞
Families are personal. Deeply personal. I respect your time and appreciate the trust you put in me to provide engaging plans for you to implement with your family. For each plan, I’ll share a few personal reflections on how it went with my family that might help you create a powerful experience for yours.
🧐 Variations / FAQ 🧐
Every family has different dynamics. This section has creative alternatives based on scenarios that I’ve encountered, been asked about and other ideas. I try to keep it light-hearted with funny jokes. If I even make you chuckle, this section has been a roaring success in my book.