I want to thank everyone who left supportive comments in regards to my car anxiety that I wrote about in this post. Hubby read the post and comments. I think he needed to see that I’m not the only mom who freaks out about car safety. After reading it he came and found me to give me a hug. He apologized for nearly giving me a panic attack during our last road trip. We have another road trip next week and this time I’m either driving or sitting in the back. I’ll keep a couple Xanax in my pocket just in case. I never imagined my blog would become a way to communicate with my hubby. I was actually planning to call a family council this weekend to discuss the driving issue. Although we’ve reached an understanding on this issue I still plan to have family council this weekend. We haven’t had one in a couple of months and when I started it I had planned on doing it once a month. Our family life is so hectic and our council has been a great way to communicate about what is and isn’t working in our family. My sis has reminded me that our dad was big on family meetings while we were growing up. I know I boohoo a lot about my shitty childhood but this is one thing my dad did right.
I highly encourage parents to have family meetings or council if you aren’t already. It really helps keep us connected especially since our family is so busy with after school activities and homework. There is so much emphasis on eating as a family and we fall short in this area. There are only a couple nights during the week that we are all home for dinner. I’ll be honest, my kids eat in front of the t.v. while hubby and I eat together at the table. This is the time for us to catch up with each other because after dinner we split up the parenting duties. He does baths while I do homework. We take turns putting the kids to bed and then I hop on the ‘puter and he succumbs to his cave to watch the History Channel. We eat as a family on the weekends though. Saturday nights we go out to dinner after 4:00 mass and always eat together at the table on Sundays. This is when we usually have family council unless someone calls for an emergency council. My kids really enjoy it. We first go around the table saying something kind about each family member so everyone is feeling warm and fuzzy. Then we go around and share whatever issues we are having with each other and formulate a plan to improve family life. Often we find out about issues they are concerned about that we probably would not have known about without family council.
I’m curious to know how other families handle their meetings. Talk to me.
Related posts:
I am a self professed slacker mom. I answer to Kristie or slackermommy.
My house is a mess, my kids are obnoxious, and my husband is sexually deprived.
I drive my kids to school in my pj's, I can make a couple of Happy Meals from the floor of my car, my kids eat in front of the television, and I believe a dirty house helps kids have a healthy immune system.
If you can relate then this blog is for you. No sugar coating on my blog. Let's get real about being a mommy, wife, sister, and friend.
You can also find me slacking at:
Ammy
November 18th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
That is such a good idea since you have a fairly big family. Right now, in our home there’s just 3 of us and it’s hard ever to find a time when we’re all at home. But when we do manage to all be here for dinner, that’s our time to sit together and commune. We are not big on lettling sleeping dogs lie, so we’ll usually take care of issues as they arise. But it’s different with a 17 year old, “she’s right, we’re wrong..but she has to do it our way anyway.” LOL
Momish
November 18th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
What a wonderful post! It is so important to keep family communcations open. Luckily, we all have dinner together every night. Seeing as it is just the three of us, this is currently not hard to do. When we have my step girls, dinner is the highlight of their visits. I imagine it gets tougher the older they get, but for now I cherish it.
And, I am so glad your hubby understands where you are coming from now that he read your post. The written word is so powerful.
BarnGoddess
November 18th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
great post. if I suggested a family council, my family would run for the hills…….
Pattie
November 18th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
We used to have family meetings growing up, too, and we looked forward to them. I think it is a wonderful tradition. Good communication keeps families close. My husband and I have not done this with our kids yet, but they are still so young. You have given me the idea, though, that maybe we should start.
Oh, The Joys
November 18th, 2006 at 7:28 pm
Oh, yes. We have meetings. Many, many meetings.
ewe are here
November 19th, 2006 at 4:37 am
Luckily, my husband and I do find the time to talk regularly about pretty much everything. MF is still too young to ‘council’ with, though; he’s not talking yet.
Eventually, though, this sounds like a good plan.
Glad you and your husband talked about the driving issues. I hope it helped.
s@m
November 19th, 2006 at 11:02 am
I really really like this idea! I will keep this idea for future use since our son is too young for now.
I wish we did something like this when I was little!
novaks8
November 19th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
You commented on my site about signing the OJ petition…what is funny to me is that Wal Mart refuses to sell the pregnant Barbie and other things that they deem immoral yet they are selling this book?
weird
crazymumma
November 19th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
I think the family council is brilliant. We are just getting to a place where we are thrashing things out en masse, and the dinner table seems to be a great place to do it. Sometimes I just ask about the high point of everyone’s day, or the low point as well. Great post, you have much wisdom yoda mom!
Looney Mom
November 19th, 2006 at 10:11 pm
We try to have dinner together at least 4-5 times a week and have “Family Fun Friday” where we do something fun together. We had also started having “dates” with each of our kids once a week. It really is hard to stay connected.
TopChamp
November 20th, 2006 at 9:12 am
It’s got to be worth a try - not heard of anyone doing that here.
My family just avoided problems or shouted at each other….
And I now live 400 miles away from them!