Write an article based on this "Ask questions. Be a good listener. Solidify your family values. Make sure your children are involved. Write a mission statement."
Once you have spent some time thinking about your personal values, it's time to figure out how to integrate them with the rest of your family. In order to do that, you all need to effectively communicate with each other. Begin the process by asking questions. Ask your family to join you for a discussion about values. Begin by asking open ended questions such as, "What is most important to our family?" You can also try, "What brings you happiness? How does that affect our family?" Other good questions to ask include, "What makes you most proud about our family?" or "What do you look forward to when you come home?" You could also try "What embarrasses you about our family?" and "What does our family provide for you that you don't get from friends?" Consider having each family member answer these questions individually. Then you can openly and honestly compare answers. Encourage your family members to ask questions, too. During your family discussion, it is important that you all practice good listening skills. To indicate that you are listening, ask follow up questions. For example, if your partner says he values honesty, ask him how that can become more of a focus for the family. You can also use non-verbal cues to indicate that you are listening. Nod your head when someone is speaking, and smile to indicate you appreciate what is being said. Try to limit interruptions. Ask everyone to put away their cell phones and turn off the tv while you are having this important conversation. Once you have spent some time discussing your family values and enjoying quality time together, you can begin the process of more clearly defining your family values. Take some time to sit down together and make a list of the values that are most important. You can think of these values as firm guidelines that your family is agreeing to live by. Writing things down can help your family gain mental clarity about shared values. Try writing down items such as "help society" or "religion/spirituality" or "honest communication with family members". Try having each family member choose 3-4 values that they feel are most important. Combined, this will give you a manageable number of values to put on your permanent list. For example, you could choose "Safety" as one of the primary values for your family. Each family member could then indicate how they will stick to this value. You could pledge to always drive the speed limit. Your daughter could promise to always wear a helmet when riding her bike. Treat defining your family values as a family decision. If your children are a little older, such as teenagers, make sure they feel like they are an important part of the process. Say things such as, "We value your input. How do you feel about including education as one of our primary family values?" You can also encourage your kids to explain their opinions. Try saying, "What do you like about this choice? Why do you think adding humor as a family value is the best option?" If your children are still pretty young, you can find other ways to get them involved. Try having them draw a picture of the things they love about your family. Once you have reflected on your values and discussed them with your family, you should have a good idea of how to define your family values. One way to solidify them is to write a mission statement. This is a document that indicates what your family values and can also include goals. The mission statement is a formal declaration of the values you share as a family. Write down what the purpose of your family is and a strategy for making sure that you remain focused on that purpose. Try writing an introduction that states why your family is choosing these particular values. You can talk about how your family is committed to these values in order to help promote good life choices. The introduction doesn't have to be long, just a paragraph will do. List the values. You can organize them by categories such as Health, Happiness, Balance, and Stability. Then, you can indicate your family strategy for sticking to each of these values. You can print the mission statement and have it framed. Having it hang in your home is a good way to remind each of you of what is truly important to your family.