Something that really interested me in class this week was talking about family council. I remember growing up my family would try to have family council one night a week and just talk about what everyone had going on. We did our family council rather sporadically, and looking back now, I think it would have been so helpful had we done that on a regular and weekly basis.
We made the connection in class to the general authorities and the fact that they have a meeting every single week. It's imperative that wherever they're serving around the world, that they make it for that weekly meeting.
Some of the characteristics of the general authorities' meeting are, opening prayer, visiting with each other, important business, a treat and visiting, and a closing prayer.
If a family starts off their council with a prayer, the spirit is invited, and hopefully things can be discussed without any contention or disagreement. It's important to make the family council fun, and by visiting and hearing about everyone's weeks, it brings the family closer together.
When discussing the important business, I think it's important for everything to be laid on the table. Big decisions should be made with the children involved. I don't mean to say that there should be a vote (Cheaper By The Dozen, anyone?), but that the children should know what decisions are in the process of being made, and parents should hear out the children's concerns.
By ending the family council with a treat, you have time to debrief and visit again as a family. Some of my favorite family dinners or family councils were when we all just sat around the table for hours after we were done eating or discussing. Also, closing the family council with a prayer solidifies what was talked about and keeps the spirit present.
I love the idea of incorporating family council into my future family life, and it's definitely something that I want to take seriously.
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