Agenda Summary Explanation
This Family Council model differs from all other management styles in that it is a meeting where all members have a respected voice. God’s Spirit is also invited to be with the members of the group. The family council considers issues of temporal and eternal spiritual consequences. The basic agenda summarized below. More detail and examples from our life are found at Family Council Administration, Family Maintenance and Family Life Tasks links to stimulate your thinking and application.
AGENDA CONTENT
Note: It may be helpful to refer and print the sample agenda form during this discussion.
Welcome
By the presiding officer or the executive secretary
Family Administration
Prayer
Prayer can be at the request of the presiding officer or the executive secretary.
Note: We have found a chart with a large family works well. When there are two of you the task is much easier.
Minutes of last meeting
Minutes are read by the secretary.
Note: In the interest of time the secretary summarized the minutes with emphasis on completed and open agenda items and assignments. We also included positive comments on assignments and tasks completed.
Mission and Goals
Development of mission and goals are separate and special council activities. Repeating the family mission statement can be part of the opening of family discussion to help focus the council.
Calendar The calendar is reviewed at several levels, always weekly and generally once a month looking ahead. We recommend a yearly Family Council to plan the annual events. This could be done in connection with goal setting for the year.. Note: This is only one element of the meeting--keep it short.
Note:We recommend that you buy a calendar with space to write on each day of the week and post it where all the family can see and use it. We have dry marker type that is on the refrigerator. We have used various paper types over the years. You may also use a computer-generated calendar.
Family Maintenance
Family routine management/assignments These assignments may include family chores, family devotional planning, family prayers and Family Home Evening assignments. We used rotating charts for many of these assignment for ease and to save time in Family Council.
Family and individual Concerns
This agenda item provides the opportunity for each family member to raise concerns that need family action. These could be items to help an individual with family relationships including communication, interaction, rules and policies.
NOTE: When the children were small , if we did not get to other agenda items that was fine because we covered the issues of importance to the children.
Remember: no issue is too small and no one should be cut off or idea "put down." A major purpose of the council is free and open discussion by all members. But avoid letting the Council become a gripe session. Items brought up should be considered and resolutions worked (if possible). The Council should always end on a positive note of commitment by all to corporation completion of assignments, tasks and responsibilities.
Family Life Tasks
Individual and Family Self-Reliance/Welfare The Family Council is the place to discuss and work on the challenges of the welfare of each family member. This includes physical growth/health, education/training, financial planning and the spiritual development of each member and the family as a whole. Additional online resource are available at www.providentliving.org
Literacy and Education: Discuss continuing education for both children and parents. Any challenges the children are having in school that the family can help with are discussed. The intent is to have family members help and support each other. If one is having a challenge, we all need to help even if it’s just in our prayers.
Employment: Includes discussion of all job transfers and job changes. We also discuss the careers/part and full time jobs of the children. These events are very stressful on a family. Talking about career changes and moves help to clarify thinking and make it easier for the family to provide needed support.
Financial and Resource Management: This topic includes planning and expenditure of family funds plus the care of resources that the family has already. The respect and care for our things such as the car, house, clothes, toys, etc. reduces replacement costs. Resource and property maintenance and management can begin with small children learning to care for their things and respecting others as well. This helps teach stewardship of that which we have and life skills.
We have called each member to be financial assistant when they were in their junior or senior year of high school. They work with tracking and reporting of funds. It has worked very well in preparing college students, missionaries, young adults and life.
Home Production and Storage: The garden, canning and food storage inventory are topics here. Even small child can have fun with these topics.
Physical Health. Exercise and health issues to support family and extended family members. We separate family recreation and social activity from individual health and wellness issues
Spiritual and Emotion Strength. Support the spiritual side of the personality through prayer and scripture reading, spiritual goals and handling stress of everyday life are topics of discussion. Supporting and sustaining one another in Church and community responsibilities are also covered.
The Goal here is to develop individual self-reliance in temporal/physical and spiritual matters by the time a child leaves the home.
Recreation and Social. Careful planning of recreation activities helps the family get the most from a limited recreation budget. This usually means going to children's games and special school events. Planning special birthday outings and major vacations are also topics of discussion.
Family Christian and Missionary Service We have found that through service we ourselves are perfected. Each family member is encouraged to "Do a Good Turn" and to provide Christian service to friends and neighbors on a daily basis. This is reported in the minutes not to boast but to help establish the habit of a life of service. The LDS website www.mormon.org now contains some additional ideas to support this effort.
The goal is to develop an individual relationship with God and His son Jesus Christ and share that happiness with others in service to mankind.
Family Ties & History This agenda item includes maintaining connections with family members both living and dead. We create journals and write letters, organize family visits and reunions, engage in genealogy research, write family histories and attend the temple.
Note: The LDS website www.familysearch.org contains some wonderful resources to support this effort.
The Goals is children grounded in their heritage of the past so they can meet the challenges of family life in their future.
Closing Prayer
Our Councils are always concluded with kneeling family prayer. We ask the Lord to confirm our decision and bless the family members.
YOU CAN DO IT
If we can do it so can you. Don't be overwhelmed by our experience. Make your Family Council fit your family. We have found the agenda can be modified to fit most any family situations. In fact, our Family Council is still evolving as the children grow and family needs change. Keep the end in mind and do not give up.
The objective is: Self-reliant sons and daughters of God. Any success we have had in raising our children has been from what we have learned together following this heavenly pattern – Family Councils
AGENDA CONTENT
Note: It may be helpful to refer and print the sample agenda form during this discussion.
Welcome
By the presiding officer or the executive secretary
Family Administration
Prayer
Prayer can be at the request of the presiding officer or the executive secretary.
Note: We have found a chart with a large family works well. When there are two of you the task is much easier.
Minutes of last meeting
Minutes are read by the secretary.
Note: In the interest of time the secretary summarized the minutes with emphasis on completed and open agenda items and assignments. We also included positive comments on assignments and tasks completed.
Mission and Goals
Development of mission and goals are separate and special council activities. Repeating the family mission statement can be part of the opening of family discussion to help focus the council.
Calendar The calendar is reviewed at several levels, always weekly and generally once a month looking ahead. We recommend a yearly Family Council to plan the annual events. This could be done in connection with goal setting for the year.. Note: This is only one element of the meeting--keep it short.
Note:We recommend that you buy a calendar with space to write on each day of the week and post it where all the family can see and use it. We have dry marker type that is on the refrigerator. We have used various paper types over the years. You may also use a computer-generated calendar.
Family Maintenance
Family routine management/assignments These assignments may include family chores, family devotional planning, family prayers and Family Home Evening assignments. We used rotating charts for many of these assignment for ease and to save time in Family Council.
Family and individual Concerns
This agenda item provides the opportunity for each family member to raise concerns that need family action. These could be items to help an individual with family relationships including communication, interaction, rules and policies.
NOTE: When the children were small , if we did not get to other agenda items that was fine because we covered the issues of importance to the children.
Remember: no issue is too small and no one should be cut off or idea "put down." A major purpose of the council is free and open discussion by all members. But avoid letting the Council become a gripe session. Items brought up should be considered and resolutions worked (if possible). The Council should always end on a positive note of commitment by all to corporation completion of assignments, tasks and responsibilities.
Family Life Tasks
Individual and Family Self-Reliance/Welfare The Family Council is the place to discuss and work on the challenges of the welfare of each family member. This includes physical growth/health, education/training, financial planning and the spiritual development of each member and the family as a whole. Additional online resource are available at www.providentliving.org
Literacy and Education: Discuss continuing education for both children and parents. Any challenges the children are having in school that the family can help with are discussed. The intent is to have family members help and support each other. If one is having a challenge, we all need to help even if it’s just in our prayers.
Employment: Includes discussion of all job transfers and job changes. We also discuss the careers/part and full time jobs of the children. These events are very stressful on a family. Talking about career changes and moves help to clarify thinking and make it easier for the family to provide needed support.
Financial and Resource Management: This topic includes planning and expenditure of family funds plus the care of resources that the family has already. The respect and care for our things such as the car, house, clothes, toys, etc. reduces replacement costs. Resource and property maintenance and management can begin with small children learning to care for their things and respecting others as well. This helps teach stewardship of that which we have and life skills.
We have called each member to be financial assistant when they were in their junior or senior year of high school. They work with tracking and reporting of funds. It has worked very well in preparing college students, missionaries, young adults and life.
Home Production and Storage: The garden, canning and food storage inventory are topics here. Even small child can have fun with these topics.
Physical Health. Exercise and health issues to support family and extended family members. We separate family recreation and social activity from individual health and wellness issues
Spiritual and Emotion Strength. Support the spiritual side of the personality through prayer and scripture reading, spiritual goals and handling stress of everyday life are topics of discussion. Supporting and sustaining one another in Church and community responsibilities are also covered.
The Goal here is to develop individual self-reliance in temporal/physical and spiritual matters by the time a child leaves the home.
Recreation and Social. Careful planning of recreation activities helps the family get the most from a limited recreation budget. This usually means going to children's games and special school events. Planning special birthday outings and major vacations are also topics of discussion.
Family Christian and Missionary Service We have found that through service we ourselves are perfected. Each family member is encouraged to "Do a Good Turn" and to provide Christian service to friends and neighbors on a daily basis. This is reported in the minutes not to boast but to help establish the habit of a life of service. The LDS website www.mormon.org now contains some additional ideas to support this effort.
The goal is to develop an individual relationship with God and His son Jesus Christ and share that happiness with others in service to mankind.
Family Ties & History This agenda item includes maintaining connections with family members both living and dead. We create journals and write letters, organize family visits and reunions, engage in genealogy research, write family histories and attend the temple.
Note: The LDS website www.familysearch.org contains some wonderful resources to support this effort.
The Goals is children grounded in their heritage of the past so they can meet the challenges of family life in their future.
Closing Prayer
Our Councils are always concluded with kneeling family prayer. We ask the Lord to confirm our decision and bless the family members.
YOU CAN DO IT
If we can do it so can you. Don't be overwhelmed by our experience. Make your Family Council fit your family. We have found the agenda can be modified to fit most any family situations. In fact, our Family Council is still evolving as the children grow and family needs change. Keep the end in mind and do not give up.
The objective is: Self-reliant sons and daughters of God. Any success we have had in raising our children has been from what we have learned together following this heavenly pattern – Family Councils