Helping Your Child Make Healthy Choices

Spring is a time for awakening, growth, and beautiful sunny days of blooming trees and flowers. It is also the time that our children are feeling excited about the final days of school and various spring events. We can help our children become grounded by asking them these questions:

• How do you treat your friends and family?
• What does your family or teacher tell you that helps you become happy and successful?
• What are your accomplishments at home or school?
• What is your legacy or your contribution to your family or classmates?
• What type of support do you need from your family or teacher to achieve your legacy or contribution to your family or classmates?
• Who has had the greatest impact on your life and how did he or she inspire you?

Family Dinner Discussions

Some families like to ask their children one of these questions each night when eating the family dinner. When you have younger children, it may be easier to discuss each question as part of your quality time together before bedtime. And other families like to include one of these questions each time they meet for a weekly family meeting. A weekly family meeting provides the family with an opportunity to:

• Have family members discuss what is happening in their lives and brainstorm solutions on challenges
• Discuss the upcoming week of family activities
• Review the weekly chore list and adjust as needed for scheduling conflicts
• Plan for upcoming family outings, vacations, and activities
• Identify community service and church related activities that the family can participate in to give back to their community

Family Meetings

When organizing a family meeting, family members can rotate facilitating the meeting or taking notes. Much success this spring as you fully engage your family in a new beginning of growth and learning.

Mary Ann

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