Back To School Re-Entry: A Memo to Parents and Families
Yes, the vibe is in the August air. Summer vacation and time off are coming to a close for many families as they anticipate the start of the new school year. This transition can be challenging because it comes with a mixed bag of emotions and conflicting feelings. Some parents will be relieved that they will have some of their personal time back while their child is back in school while others might worry about how their son or daughter will adjust to the social and academic challenges that accompany this re-entry, i.e. making new friends, harder classes, new teachers, bullying, fitting in, just to list a few. Most families experience some version of both, and that is where the opportunity lies for taking the relationships within the family to a loving, more supportive level.
My general philosophy to managing potential problems within a family system is to increase communication and connection within the members. Research consistently demonstrates that regular family meetings and collaboration reduces conflict and misunderstandings and encourages self-expression and “buy-in” where everyone has a voice and contributes. Now, if your family is a “blended family” where step-parenting and managing logistics often becomes a full time job, family meetings are even more essential for you.
So, if you are eager to have a smoother transition and more control into this next phase of your family’s life, here is a Family Meeting outline for you to consider:
Give it a cool name, like “Team [family name]” , or let the kids come up with one.
Meet at a regular time every week if possible (at least during the first couple of months while the schedule and the routines settle into a more familiar pattern).
Keep it light!
Be creative with meeting location and space if possible.
If appropriate, have a general agenda.
If possible, have a different person lead the meeting (this is where having an agenda will help).
Everyone who lives in the home attends! No one is too young or too old.
Rotate the responsibility of taking notes. Documenting these meetings will preserve trust and accountability.
Have a master calendar (preferably a white board where everyone can see the planning unfold and documented). Don’t rely only on your Google calendar or other electronic versions.
Help each other resolve any issues.
End with an inspirational quote, a joke, or a fun story.