VITAL SIGNS for Parents

Sometimes parenting can feel like herding cats or reining in chaos. You find yourself in unending negotiations about everything from whether your 8-year-old needs to wear a coat on a 30° day to how many pieces of broccoli they have to eat at dinner.

While there really is no way to completely avoid these moments, a written family constitution can provide structure and guidance to help minimize unnecessary negotiations and conflicts.

Your family constitution should set the foundation for your family values and beliefs, and the standards around who you are and how you live your lives inside and outside the home.

Think of it like building your family brand.

• What are your core values?
• What is your belief system?
• What principles do you live by?

It is also a great way to set the rules of the game for your family.

• How do you treat others and yourselves?
• How do you communicate with each other?
• What are the expectations for school, home, work and extracurricular activities?
• What are your family goals?
• What are the rules for technology use, monitoring and accountability?
• How are decisions made, and who makes them?
• How do you resolve conflict?
• What are the consequences for not following the rules?

We encourage you to take the time with your family to create your own constitution with input and buy-in from each family member. This framework will give your children confidence in knowing who they are and what they stand for as well as a sense of security, safety and belonging.

Place your constitution somewhere visible in your home as a reminder to talk about, guide and practice your family values daily.

For access to our VITAL SIGNS family constitution template, go to https://victoriasvoicefoundation.thinkific.com to create your free Victoria’s Voice education account.