How we've managed......

Since moving to the new house we've made some changes......doing new things in our lives that we've never done before....... These little changes have helped us mesh into a family unit. It hasn't been easy for the girls having my brother around.....(he just turned 16).....or my mother. It's new. Just as it's new for them......at least for us, we are only adding 2 people.......they are adding 6! (and a bunch of screamy, frilly girls at that!)

I thought I'd share some of the things that we have been doing because it really helps when you have a large family........

-Family meetings every Saturday morning
*everyone gets to bring two issues to the table but we don't discuss individual people
*when a person presents their issue, we all have a turn discussing how best to deal with it or even to knock the issue down
*I have the final say
*We end on a positive note doing a group activity...(Last week it was writing on a piece of paper everyones names and saying 1 thing you wish that person would change and then 2 things you really like about them)

-Family Binder
*we record notes of the family meeting in here
*field trip forms are in here
*it's a work in progress

-Family Walks
*we've gone out twice for these walking for about 2 hours. Lots of sharing and fun.

-Bike Rides
*this is new, Mom got bikes for my girls as a gift......so they start that tonight.....

-Family Chore Book
*inside this book is a calendar of the month....each person has their chores outlined for the day.....Laundry, Dishes, Tidy Up and Front Stairs
*It's lessened the arguments. Kids are getting their allowances based on how well the get their chores done

-NUN! (Need U Now)
*its an action word.....all the kids have to say to me is..."Hey Mom the NUN!" and I'll drop everything and give them some one on one time. It's helped avoid situations that could explode

-Diplomat
*That's me. And I'm teaching Mom how to be the Diplomat as well. It's where we have "white lied" about a situation so that we get positive results. Example?

Well, I've told the 15 yr old that the 13yr old is really trying to be a better person. And that she's really sorry for being a pain all the time.

Then I told the 13 yr old that the 15 yr old says she likes the way that she's starting to change her behaviour and wants them to be more loving to each other.

*so yeah.....it's half true. But I've added the diplomatic touch to it. It's working by the way. The 13 yr old is doing better.....(although I think it has more to do with the fact that she knows for sure that she's not going anywhere)

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So that's all the great ideas that I've had so far......I'm really thinking I could do a lot more with the family binder...........any ideas?