“…ye will teach them to love one another and to serve one another.” Mosiah 4:15
One idea is to give each member of your family stewardship over an area of the spiritual part of your family and home. Each child becomes chair for that committee, and the goal is to meet in family council (click here for family council ideas) and allow time for each committee chairperson to report on what he/she is planning for his/her committee to do, co-ordinate with the other chairpersons and combine efforts as needed or desired, and request help and/or resources to carry out the plans. What a great way to promote teamwork, make family council similar to ward council, and learn to help and serve each other!
One idea is to post the committees with goals listed. You could invite the children decorate their "committee cards" and post them where they can be seen, referenced, and reviewed. These can be used for family council.
Family home evening is a social and teaching time. In a family council we talk about the needs of the family and the needs of individual members of the family. It is a time to solve problems, make family decisions, plan day-to-day and long-range family activities and goals. It is a time to share one another’s burdens and joys and counsel together, to keep each family member on the right track spiritually. It is the time when we discuss family matters, much as a bishop or branch president does with his ward or branch leaders. It is when parents use the tremendous powers of the council system. A family council could certainly be part of family home evening, but it could also take place at any time.
M. Russell Ballard and Barbara Ballard, “Family Councils: A Conversation with Elder and Sister Ballard,” Ensign, Jun 2003, 14
FAMILY COMMITTEE IDEAS:
FAMILY HERITAGE COMMITTEE
•Journal Writing
•Family Stories
•Family History Work
•Family reunions
•Scrapbooks and
•Record Books
FAMILY SERVICE COMMITTEE
•Family Service projects
•Secret service
•Missionary Support
•Thank Yous
•Connections
FAMILY ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE
•Family outings
•Family trips and vacations
•Idea lists—fun and games
•Wholesome Family Recreation
Family Celebration and Gratitude Committee
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE
Help make people happy
Mom's Committee
Family Spirit Committee
One idea is to give each member of your family stewardship over an area of the spiritual part of your family and home. Each child becomes chair for that committee, and the goal is to meet in family council (click here for family council ideas) and allow time for each committee chairperson to report on what he/she is planning for his/her committee to do, co-ordinate with the other chairpersons and combine efforts as needed or desired, and request help and/or resources to carry out the plans. What a great way to promote teamwork, make family council similar to ward council, and learn to help and serve each other!
One idea is to post the committees with goals listed. You could invite the children decorate their "committee cards" and post them where they can be seen, referenced, and reviewed. These can be used for family council.
Family home evening is a social and teaching time. In a family council we talk about the needs of the family and the needs of individual members of the family. It is a time to solve problems, make family decisions, plan day-to-day and long-range family activities and goals. It is a time to share one another’s burdens and joys and counsel together, to keep each family member on the right track spiritually. It is the time when we discuss family matters, much as a bishop or branch president does with his ward or branch leaders. It is when parents use the tremendous powers of the council system. A family council could certainly be part of family home evening, but it could also take place at any time.
M. Russell Ballard and Barbara Ballard, “Family Councils: A Conversation with Elder and Sister Ballard,” Ensign, Jun 2003, 14
FAMILY COMMITTEE IDEAS:
FAMILY HERITAGE COMMITTEE
•Journal Writing
•Family Stories
•Family History Work
•Family reunions
•Scrapbooks and
•Record Books
FAMILY SERVICE COMMITTEE
•Family Service projects
•Secret service
•Missionary Support
•Thank Yous
•Connections
FAMILY ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE
•Family outings
•Family trips and vacations
•Idea lists—fun and games
•Wholesome Family Recreation
- Thank yous
- "You're the Best" plate
- Birthday celebrations
- Applause
- Tender Mercy Journal
- Help with holiday celebrations
FAMILY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
•Family Home Evening
•Library Visits
•Study Centers
•Media
•Family Home Evening
•Library Visits
•Study Centers
•Media
FAMILY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE
•Food storage
•Missionary preparation
•Family devotionals
•Emergency preparedness
•Missionary preparation
•Family devotionals
•Emergency preparedness
FAMILY SUNSHINE COMMITTEE
Help make people happy
Mom's Committee
Family Spirit Committee
•Nurture
•Teach
•Enrich the home Environment
•Keep the hearth
•Maintain
•Unify
Dad's Committee
•Family Progression Committee
Priesthood
•Preside
•Provide
•Protect
•Nurture
•Teach
•Maintain
“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and their children.
…as equal partners.”
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles
September 23, 1995
http://lds.org/study/family-proclamation?lang=eng
What do Mormons believe? See http://lds.org/?lang=eng
First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles
September 23, 1995
http://lds.org/study/family-proclamation?lang=eng
What do Mormons believe? See http://lds.org/?lang=eng
MORE COMMITTEE IDEAS:(sometimes children and parents could be chairpersons over more than one committee...whatever works for your family!)
•Unity
•Order
•Joy
•Character
•Emergency Preparation
•Gratitude
•Food Storage
•Music
•Manners
•Physical Fitness
•Mission Preparation
Twelve Tips for Parent-Child Interviews
Steven B. Glade Ensign 1997
1.
Regular schedule [one idea is to use an interview form - see below]
2.
One or both parents
3.
Pray beforehand as parents
4.
Begin interview with a prayer
5.
Listen more than you speak
6.
Don’t compare children
7.
Clear and loving correction as needed
8.
Write down problems/discuss
9.
Don’t compromise gospel standards
10.
Keep confidences
11.
Praise each child generously and cheerfully
Bear your testimony often.
One idea is to have some "forms" copied so that they can be filled out during interviews. These help guide the discussion and become "journal" pages.
Personal Parent Interview (PPI):
Name
Date
Interview with _______________
Scripture and Song (can use the scr/song of the month)
O.Prayer
Feelings/happy things in life/ compliments/ applause/gratitude/ask for forgiveness
List concerns to be discussed now and/or during
personal/parent time
personal/parent time
Family Night assignment and input
Family Stewardship committee goals, needs and ideas
Calendar items
Finances and tithing
Personal Time with parent or parents for the upcoming week
Dinner day (menu)
Primary/Personal Progress/Scouting/Duty to God info, updates, ideas, goals
hugs and expressions of love to each other
Closing prayer
Another idea is to help each child make a "personal page" for the year including his or her family committee assignment and goals for that committee. Other items may include a gift to the Savior (see label on side bar), hopes and dreams, favorite scripture for the year, house cleaning area, etc. These pages can be laminated and posted on a door, fridge, bulletin board, or any place they can be viewed and reviewed daily!
An Idea for a Family Council Agenda Form
Yes, even for executive meeting...
About parent-child interviews...
children, they were not sure they wanted to
PS... Don't skip the gratitude and compliments...Mark Twain said he could
live four months on a good compliment!
Summary of Family Council
Marvin K. Gardner, “Family Councils: Making Decisions Together,” Ensign, Dec 1978, 18
“Working Together in Family Councils,” Ensign, Feb 1985, 28
Rex W. Allred, “‘Support Your Local Family Council’,” Ensign, Feb 1982, 50
"When we have a family home evening, a family council, or a meaningful gospel conversation with our children, we have the opportunity to look into their eyes and tell them that we love them and that Heavenly Father loves them. In these sacred settings, we can also help them understand, deep in their hearts, who they are and how fortunate they are to have come to this earth and to our home and to participate in the covenants we have taken in the temple to be a family forever."
Date and Who is in attendance
Conducting_______________________
Opening Song/Scripture/Prayer/Gratitude/Compliments
Minutes and review assignments from last meeting
Discussion items
Calendaring
Stewardship committee reports and plans
Other
Time of next meeting
Hugs and kisses
Closing prayer
Family Executive Committee Meeting, Family Council, Parent-Child Interviews
We think its a great idea to create forms (and make copies and have them ready) for these important meetings.
Yes, even for executive meeting...
Idea for Family Executive Committee Meeting Form
Date
Opening Song and Prayer
Applause and gratitude for each other/ask forgiveness/make commitments
Applause and gratitude for each other/ask forgiveness/make commitments
Agenda (items to discuss)
Discussion of each family member--one by one--and make decisions on what you will do as parents
Action plans
Time of next Meeting
Hugs and Kisses
Closing prayer
When we first introduced this concept to our
participate, so we initiated
"ice-cream interviews" and they liked them
a lot! After a while, they discovered that
having mom or dad (or both of us) all to
themselves was not all so bad! In fact, the
interviews got quite lengthy, so we had to limit the amount of
time they could take, and then
plan for some more one-on-one time during the week.
interviews got quite lengthy, so we had to limit the amount of
time they could take, and then
plan for some more one-on-one time during the week.
The goal was to have personal a parent interview (PPI) with each
child each week.
child each week.
More often than not, we ended up having them on fast Sundays.
The records kept on
The records kept on
our "forms" are priceless. They are a journal, and have helped us
remember
remember
what was said and decided, our hopes, dreams, concerns, and
feelings...its all there -
feelings...its all there -
right on paper!
PS... Don't skip the gratitude and compliments...Mark Twain said he could
live four months on a good compliment!
Summary of Family Council
Family home evening is a social and teaching time. In a family council we talk about the
needs of the family and the needs of individual members of the family. It is a time to solve
problems, make family decisions, plan day-to-day and long-range family activities and
goals. It is a time to share one another’s burdens and joys and counsel together, to keep
each family member on the right track spiritually. It is the time when we discuss family
matters, much as a bishop or branch president does with his ward or branch leaders.
It is when parents use the tremendous powers of the council system. A family council
could certainly be part of family home evening, but it could also take place at any time.
M. Russell Ballard and Barbara Ballard,
“Family Councils: A Conversation with Elder and Sister Ballard,” Ensign, Jun 2003, 14
Articles:
Articles:
Carlos E. Asay, “Parent-Child Interviews,” Ensign, Nov 1983, 14
read
Wendell P. Droubay, “Heart to Heart,” Ensign, Jun 1997, 57
read
read
Wendell P. Droubay, “Heart to Heart,” Ensign, Jun 1997, 57
read
M. Russell Ballard and Barbara Ballard, “Family Councils: A Conversation with Elder and Sister Ballard,” Ensign, Jun 2003, 14
M. Russell Ballard, “Counseling with Our Councils,” Ensign, May 1994, 24
Marvin K. Gardner, “Family Councils: Making Decisions Together,” Ensign, Dec 1978, 18
“Working Together in Family Councils,” Ensign, Feb 1985, 28
Rex W. Allred, “‘Support Your Local Family Council’,” Ensign, Feb 1982, 50
"When we have a family home evening, a family council, or a meaningful gospel conversation with our children, we have the opportunity to look into their eyes and tell them that we love them and that Heavenly Father loves them. In these sacred settings, we can also help them understand, deep in their hearts, who they are and how fortunate they are to have come to this earth and to our home and to participate in the covenants we have taken in the temple to be a family forever."
Robert D. Hales,
"Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation," Ensign, May 2010, 97
“We should regularly review our family income, savings, and spending plan in family council meetings. This will teach our children to recognize the difference between wants and needs and to plan ahead for meaningful use of family resources. . . . Whenever we want to experience or possess something that will impact us and our resources, we may want to ask ourselves, ‘Is the benefit temporary, or will it have eternal value and significance?’ Truthfully answering these questions may help us avoid excessive debt and other addictive behavior.”
Robert D. Hales, “Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually,” Ensign, May 2009, 9–10
“We should regularly review our family income, savings, and spending plan in family council meetings. This will teach our children to recognize the difference between wants and needs and to plan ahead for meaningful use of family resources. . . . Whenever we want to experience or possess something that will impact us and our resources, we may want to ask ourselves, ‘Is the benefit temporary, or will it have eternal value and significance?’ Truthfully answering these questions may help us avoid excessive debt and other addictive behavior.”
Robert D. Hales, “Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually,” Ensign, May 2009, 9–10
