Values- Family Programs

Values Forum

Family Programs

The Importance
Of Family

Affection binds family members to one another. Good parents teach children to repair what is repairable and to accept what cannot be changed. It has been said that good parents counter culture. They give feedback to family members by telling the truth as they see it regarding bad habits, poor choices and undesirable behavior. Families keep their members humble as well as build self-esteem.

Families must constantly seek balance -- they must strive to achieve the proper amount of distance between its members -- close, but not too close-to encourage freedom but expect commitment from members -- to honor individual achievement as well as contributions made to the common good -- to provide challenges not so great that they overwhelm, nor so small that youngsters fail to mature. A family should never confuse disagreement with disloyalty. In a warm functional family members pitch in where needed but do not subjugate their individual needs to the needs of the whole.

Families teach moral virtues. Through families, children learn to love and value. Families reinforce the values of early America; the values of self-restraint, self-control, hard work and frugality.

You may want to print this Bill of Rights For Children.

Family Time

Too often children are excluded from adult conversation and activities. It may be a mistake to send the children out to play or to the TV baby-sitter when an adult visitor drops by. Children learn a great deal from eaves dropping and even more if they are included in the general conversation by being asked about their day, their activities and depending on their age, asked for their opinions. If children are taught good manners, there is no reason they should be seated at separate tables when guests come to dinner, or expected to engage in special children's activities. Precious learning opportunities are wasted when this is done.

Many children are overly secluded at bedtime; especially when large master bedrooms are purposely built in an area distant from the children's' rooms. Youngsters are monitored by electronic devices and isolated from the adult activity that takes place after they are put to bed. Adults may want privacy but young children rarely do. They love to hear talking and rather than being kept awake by adult conversation, they are more likely to be droned to sleep, secure with a warm cozy feeling of belonging. Discover how much time your family spends together

Family Stories

Every family has its own family stories. We invite you to share your unique stories in as many categories as possible while you enjoy the contributions of others.

Family Saint Stories
Family Hero Stories
Family Legends
Family Overcomer Stories
Family Stories That Warn

Family Traditions

Here is an opportunity for families to share experiences. You may want to adopt some of the ideas posted here and/or enrich the lives of others by sharing your own family traditions.

Religious Holidays
Births
Deaths
Coming of Age
New Homes
New Jobs
The New Year
Thanksgiving
Halloween
Christmas (secular traditions)
4th of July
St. Patricks Day (secular traditions)
First Day of School
Trips
Retirement
Engagements
Weddings
Anniversaries
Graduations
Birthdays
Honors children receive
Honors adults receive
Family separations (job related, armed forces,camp)
Other

Childhood
Memories

Adults have comforting memories of childhood experiences and places that make them feel happy and safe years later. Please share your own childhood memories. Are you providing enough opportunities for your children to store up good memories to draw upon in later years?

Special Place
Special Object
Special Restaurant
Special Activity
Special Smell
Special Your Choice

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