Every Monday is Happiness Tip Day, where I share something that’s worked for us, and you’re welcome to try it with your family as well.
Today’s tip is: when big decisions or issues loom, hold family meetings to get everyone’s input. Obviously, Mom’s or Dad’s opinions carry the most weight in a majority of situations, but as long as the issue or decision at hand is age-appropriate, it’s important for everyone’s opinion to be heard and considered. This sort of consideration and transparency will foster respect all around.
Again, this goes back to facing life as a team. Some big decisions are full of hope and excitement — for example, our family decided to move to a completely new state because the new location offered educational, cultural, social and professional opportunities we’d been dreaming of. Other major issues — like dealing with a serious illness in the family — are decidedly less comfortable to discuss, but it’s equally important to involve everyone in an appropriate way. No matter its nature, though, you’ll likely find that all family members will be more fully on board and less likely to be resentful if they’ve had a say in the plan, or at least a chance to be heard.
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