Marsden Families Program assists families develop the skills to create a nurturing and supportive family environment with open lines of communication and effective routines.
Some foundation strategies include:
Talk It Out
- Stop the problem. Cool down.
- Talk about the problem. Take turns talking and listening.
- Think of solutions to the problem.
- Pick a solution you both like and go with it.
Family Meetings
Regular family meetings are a way to achieve harmony in the family, give children a chance to have some input in the way the family operates, and provide a forum for airing grievances.
Family meeting practices:
- To allocate chores
- Resolve conflicts and assist with individual problems
- Discuss family routines and procedures
- Plan for fun things like outings and holidays
- Begin and end on a positive note – story or pleasant activity
- Two or three items at each meeting are enough – avoid overloading
- Not a gripe session
- Have a simple set of rules and a chairperson
- Keep record of decisions made for future reference and review
- If the formality of ‘meetings’ is not for you, then family group discussions may work alternatively