How to Kick Start Your School Year with Family Communication

Back-to-school time is the time to start new routines. One of the most important values every family prioritizes is family communication. You can create routines that keep your connection strong. Effective communication and organization tools make all the difference in improving communication, school success and family happiness. Two key strategies that help families connect are holding weekly family meetings and maintaining a family calendar. Here is how to implement these to create a more harmonious, collaborative household.

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Create agency and accountability

Creating ownership for all family members from the start of the school year is essential for fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. This sense of ownership comes from giving everyone the opportunity to contribute to the family agenda. During your first family meeting, include your kids' thoughts, feelings, and problem-solving ideas as you create the agenda and establish the "rules" for your family calendar. By involving everyone in this process, you empower each family member to take responsibility for their commitments and contribute to the overall success of the family's organization and communication strategies. This collaborative approach not only ensures that everyone feels valued and heard but also promotes a sense of accountability and teamwork that will benefit the family throughout the school year.

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One of the biggest obstacles to family communication is knowing the "why" which is the value of communication. Everyone needs to benefit from staying connected. Talk about how improved communication makes life easier for everyone, how a shared calendar helps everyone support each other, and how stronger relationships happen because of collaboration. With everyone knowing the benefits, there is more buy-in and accountability to maintain the system. Each person is tethered to the others' successes. That accountability to each other makes all the difference in keeping the system all year long.

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Overall, remember to keep these as simple as possible. Clarity makes all the difference. Post the outcome in writing on your refrigerator or door near the kitchen. You're creating accountability for everyone to work as a team this way. You can reference your plan with your family every day, especially during the weekly family meeting.

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Hold weekly family meetings

Weekly family meetings are times for communication, cohesiveness, and collaboration. These provide the opportunity for everyone to share their upcoming activities and schedules, as well as celebrate achievements and discuss challenges. Here is how to make the most of your family meetings.

• Choose a time that works for everyone
• Create your agenda together
• Make sure everyone has a chance to speak
• Review family values and goals. Discuss problems and solutions.
• Celebrate together

Weekly family meetings foster teamwork and ensure that everyone feels heard and supported.

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Start and maintain the family calendar

A family calendar is an invaluable tool for keeping track of everyone’s activities and responsibilities. Your family can use a digital calendar, a traditional wall calendar, or a hybrid. Keeping a shared schedule helps make sure everyone knows upcoming events, shares time together, and keeps things running smoothly. Here’s how to effectively use a family calendar.

• Place the calendar in a central location so everyone can see it.
• Include as much as possible, especially priorities on your family calendar. Individuals maintain their calendars with great detail.
• Update the calendar as soon as new dates come up. Update individual calendars at the same time.

A family calendar helps to organize busy schedules and prioritizes what is most important about all commitments.

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Staying connected and up to date throughout the school year requires effort and coordination, but the rewards are well worth it. It may take time to get a flow going with the family meeting or the family calendar. Keep at it! By implementing these strategies, families can navigate the academic year with confidence, ensuring that both students and parents thrive.