Years ago I ran across an article that talked about creating a list of family values to hang in your home as a reminder to every one in the home. I loved the idea so much I wrote a note down about it and tucked it in to my planner until the weekend rolled around. On Saturday morning I called a family meeting & shared my idea of writing a master list of values that our family holds dear. Everyone agreed to join in, listing out the things that they felt should make our list. Together we narrowed it down to our top 20 picks and created a simple print out to hang in clear view. When I quickly jotted down that note I had no idea the impact such a simple activity could have on our family dynamic. It felt like a really special way to bond as a family and get on the same page about the type of home environment we wanted to create. It also made my children feel like valued members of our family and gave them the opportunity to voice their opinions & feel heard.
Here is the list our family created:
1. Honor truth and authenticity above all else
2. Have respect & compassion for every being + the planet
3. Always choose kindness
4. Never be afraid of failure, every failure is a lesson learned
5. Connect with nature every single day, ground down to the source
6. Laugh loudly & make plenty of messes
7. Share home cooked meals together as much as possible
8. Leave places & spaces better than you found them
9. Keep your word
10. Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude
11. Always be in the pursuit of knowledge, growth, and expansion
12. Hold space for others who need it
13. See new places, experience new cultures, and be open to the world around you
14. Cultivate a deep & unconditional self-love practice
15. Read, Read, Read
16. Listen first, then listen some more
17. Take time to reflect
18. Always stand for what is right
19. Respect & honor the boundaries of others
20. Love, Love, Love
What are the values your family holds dear? If you’re inspired to create your own list with your family here are my top 5 tips:
CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR SHARING
Have a conversation with your family about your intentions behind creating your own family values list & set the tone for this time together. The goal of this activity is to make sure every member of the family feels safe to share their thoughts and to work in collaboration with each other. Encourage listening when others speak and eliminate distractions like screens to make the most of this time.
WRITE THEM DOWN
Give everyone a pen & paper to write down their own individual list of values. If your child is too young to write, spend time recording their thoughts for them. We loved going around the table and reading our lists aloud, it was so surprising to hear what each of my children valued the most. It really encouraged me as a parent & gave each of my children an opportunity to share what was on their hearts.
STOP COLLABORATE & LISTEN
Once you’ve learned what each family member values individually its time to compile your master list. Some values will be shared among family members and will be easy to agree upon but filling the remaining spots on your family list might involve a little more collaboration. We used a voting system and good old fashion debating to hear the reasoning behind each pick. It was a great way in engaging in listening to understand with each other.
MAKE IT FUN
Creating your list of family values should be fun! Decorate your lists, get creative together, and enjoy this time bonding as a family.
SHOW IT OFF
Once you have a list of family values you love hang it in your home as a visual reminder! Every time you or your children walk by, you can remember the time you spent together and the values you hold dear as a family.
I hope these tips inspire you to call your very own family meeting! You will not regret the time you spend getting to know your children and creating this list together.
If you create your own list of family values I would love to hear your experience! What was your favorite part of the process?
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