Looking for things to teach at your next family meeting? Here is a list of 101 family meeting topics that you can put on the agenda. (Free Printable Included!)

One of our biggest jobs as parents is to teach our kids.
But finding the time to teach them all the things we want them to learn? That can be difficult.
Of course, our kids are learning from us during daily life. But wouldn’t it be nice to have dedicated time each week to talk about the important things in a little more detail?
That’s where weekly family meetings come in.
Family meetings are a powerful way to get the whole family on the same page – with schedules, budgets, goals, values, and more. And they can be an excellent way for your family to grow closer together.

You might already be thinking of things you’d like to discuss with your kids. Or you might be racking your brain trying to think of what you’d even talk about.
Don’t worry. Either way, I’ve got you covered.
Scroll down to find a huge list of family meeting topics to pick from. You can customize from there!
But before you do, I want your meetings to be as effective and fun as possible. So here are some tips to get you started.

4 Tips For Holding A Family Meeting With Kids
The most important thing to remember for your family meetings is to keep them brief! You want to take advantage of this time, so keep wiggly bodies and short attention spans in mind. Here are a few other ways to run effective meetings:

- Establish ground rules. A family meeting should be a safe space where everyone can learn, share and feel included. With your kids, come up with a short list of rules (no interrupting, etc.).
- Prepare an agenda. Whether you plan on leading the meeting or share that responsibility with one of your kids, decide beforehand what will be discussed. This also helps keep the family meeting brief and on topic.
- Include your kids. Involving your kids will keep them engaged and invested in your meetings. They can take turns leading the meeting, teaching a lesson, or participating in other ways.
- End with a fun activity. Give your kids something to look forward to at the end of each meeting, such as a treat, game, or other simple activity.
For detailed information on exactly how to prepare a simple agenda and run effective meetings head to this post: How To Hold Successful Family Meetings (In Just 3 Steps!)
A meeting with kids might sound impossible at first. But with the right tools (or snacks), you can hold family meetings with even your youngest kids. And who knows, your whole family might even grow to love them!

THE ULTIMATE LIST OF FAMILY MEETING TOPICS
Here are 101 topics to choose from when planning your next family meeting. For a printable list (along with simple agenda templates), be sure to grab the free Family Meetings Kit so you can have all the tools you need right at your fingertips!
To make it easy to find exactly what topics will help your family most, they are broken into sections:
- Helping Kids Learn Positive Behaviors And Good Manners
- Discussing Family Values And Morals
- Teaching Kids Important Life Skills
- Helping Kids Understand How To Stay Safe
- Teaching Kids About Personal Growth
- Coming Up With Family Plans
Helping Kids Learn Positive Behaviors And Good Manners
- How to act at the table
- When to use loud and quiet voices
- How to greet people
- How to be respectful when someone else is talking
- How to be assertive (eye contact, etc.)
- What behaviors are appropriate? (address whining, rough behavior, etc.)
- What’s the difference between tattling and asking for help?
- How to start a conversation with someone
- How to stand up for someone at school
- How to use mindfulness activities to calm down
- How to have a good, not bad attitude (optimism, doing things we don’t want to do, etc.)
- What is lying?
- How to handle fights with siblings
- How to apologize
- How to accept an apology
Discussing Family Values And Morals
- What to do if you hear bad things at school
- How to stand up to peer pressure
- What to do if people are being mean to someone
- How to be a good friend
- How to include people
- What is integrity? (Honesty when no one is looking)
- What is true confidence?
- What to do if you see bad pictures online
- How can you still be friendly to people you don’t want to be friends with?
- Why are marriage and family important?
- How to pray
- What is forgiveness and why is it important?
- How to treat boys or girls
- How to treat people who think differently than you
- How to treat people who look different than you
- Why you shouldn’t keep secrets
- How can we show our bodies respect?
- What is good language?
- How to encourage someone
- How to find the good in hard situations
Teaching Kids Important Life Skills
- Introduce new routines
- How to clean your room
- How to clean up the toys
- What is healthy food and why do we need it?
- How to do any other chores your family’s been struggling with lately
- What does it mean to be healthy?
- How to clean a bathroom
- How to have good hygiene
- How affirmations can create a positive mindset
- What are good daily habits?
- How to budget money
- How to try something new or scary
- Why is money important? How can we be smart with it?
- How to make reading a habit
- Why are grooming, good dress, and hygiene important?
- How to come up with tricks for remembering things
- Have a cooking lesson!
- How to set the table

Helping Kids Understand How To Stay Safe
- What to do if people are being mean to you
- How to choose good movies, music, books, and other media
- What adults are safe
- How to cross the street
- How to be safe around water
- How to be safe on a bike
- How to stand up for yourself
- What to do if you get lost
- How to respond to strangers
- How to disagree respectfully
- What to do if adults make you feel uncomfortable
- What to do if peers make you feel uncomfortable
- How to stay safe on media
- What is appropriate affection and touching
- Go over a family emergency plan
- Learn basic first aid
Teaching Kids About Personal Growth
- How to write in your journal and why you should
- What makes you special?
- Why are people the same? What makes them different? And why is that good?
- Set personal goals
- What are things that help us relax or calm down?
- How to practice positive thinking
- What should you look for in a friend?
- Why is it important to be creative? What is your favorite way?
- What is gratitude? How can we get better at it?
- What are small, daily ways to serve and be kind?
- Why is service important and how can we serve?
- Why is it important to try hard in school? And how can you do that?
- Discuss inspirational people who overcame difficulties
- Ask kids about problems they’re experiencing at school, then discuss how you can help
Coming Up With Family Plans
- Set family goals
- Make a plan for family time
- Plan a trip
- Set savings goals to buy something for the family
- What makes a happy family? What are we doing well? How can we improve?
- What makes good communication in the family?
- Introduce new family rules
- Talk about family rules that need work
- Brainstorm favorite dinners
- Family activity ideas
- Plan one-on-one dates with parents
- Home project plans
- Holiday plans
- Plan a service activity
- Plan this week’s family activity
- Brainstorm ways to help someone in the family with a particular goal or struggle
- Plan a holiday activity
- Let someone teach the family how to do one of their favorite hobbies
If any of these topics require an activity (like practicing a chore or cooking), make sure to hold the lesson portion of the meeting last.

Using These Topics At Your Next Family Meeting
To make it easier to plan your meeting agenda and get your kids involved, make sure to grab the Family Meetings Kit!

And for even more tips on running your next family meeting, be sure to head to this post:
- How To Hold Successful Family Meetings (In Just 3 Steps!)
What family meeting topics would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
want to remember this?
PIN IT TO YOUR FAVORITE BOARD

Share this article:
FAQs
101 Family Meeting Topics To Discuss With Your Kids? ›
A family fun activity such as a game, cooking, or popcorn and a movie. The first week you can spend more time on the Agenda. Let your kids know this is where they can write problems. (Younger children can ask parents to write on the agenda for them.)
What should be discussed in family meetings? ›- What happened last week.
- What's happening this week and future/holiday plans.
- Old stuff.
- New stuff.
- Money stuff (There's always money stuff)
- Something wonderful my family did for me.
- Something wonderful I did for my family.
- Meet at a regularly scheduled time. ...
- Rotate meeting responsibilities (e.g., leader, secretary and timekeeper). ...
- Encourage all family members to participate. ...
- Discuss one topic and solve one problem at a time. ...
- Use I-messages. ...
- Use problem-solving steps. ...
- Make decisions by consensus.
A family fun activity such as a game, cooking, or popcorn and a movie. The first week you can spend more time on the Agenda. Let your kids know this is where they can write problems. (Younger children can ask parents to write on the agenda for them.)
What questions to deepen family relationship? ›What's the best thing about our family? If you could change one thing about each of your parents, what would it be? What are the most important things your parents have taught you? What do you think are the most important qualities of a good parent?
How do you discuss family issues? ›- Try to stay calm.
- Try to put emotions aside.
- Don't interrupt the other person while they are speaking.
- Actively listen to what they are saying and what they mean.
- Check that you understand them by asking questions.
- Communicate your side of the story clearly and honestly.
- In Class Progress. A discussion during a conference begins with in-class progress. ...
- Academic Expectations. ...
- Long-term Goals. ...
- Special Needs. ...
- Medical Needs. ...
- Student Assessments. ...
- Discuss Strengths. ...
- Discuss Areas of Needs.
- Pack on the PDA. ...
- Get wasted. ...
- Bring up controversial topics like religion, politics or sex. ...
- Lie or exaggerate to make yourself look good. ...
- Be glued to your phone. ...
- Tell off-color jokes. ...
- Be closed-minded. ...
- Let them clean up after you.
Some Additional Tips for Success
Treat all members as equals. Listen to everyone and encourage each other. Avoid letting one person dominate who might think he has more rights than other members. Keep the family meeting short – with young children, the meeting should be no longer than 15 minutes.
Effective parents discuss the rules with their children and make sure that they understand the expectations. They also make sure that consequences are understood and follow through with them no matter how they are feeling.
How do I make family gatherings less awkward? ›
Have a Plan. One of the best coping strategies for a social anxiety disorder at family gatherings is to have a plan. Making a list of things and people you should avoid can prevent you from getting caught in an uncomfortable situation. You can also write out a list of topics you feel comfortable talking about.
What are the different types of family meetings? ›There are two basic types of family meetings: scheduled and informal.
How do I stop being nervous when meeting her family? ›- Ask Your Partner for Any General Dos and Don'ts. ...
- Keep Things Light on First Meeting. ...
- Play By Your Partner's Family's Rules. ...
- Don't Drink Too Much. ...
- Bring a Gift for the Host. ...
- Be Honest. ...
- Remember That They're Probably a Little Nervous Too.
The 5 C's are competence, confidence, connection, caring/compassion and character.
What are some good family questions? ›- What was the best part of your day?
- What was the worst part of your day?
- What makes a good friend?
- If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be and why?
- What's something you're really good at?
- Describe someone in the family using 3 words.
- Verbal communication. Families with healthy relationships make an effort to talk to each other and make sure each family member is heard. ...
- Non-verbal communication. ...
- Affection. ...
- Commitment. ...
- Appreciation.
- Someone leaving all the lights on when they aren't in the room.
- Someone leaving shoes in the middle of the floor/ in the doorway.
- Messy bedrooms.
- Someone not doing their fair share of the chores.
- Not changing the empty toilet roll when the last of it is used.
Family conflict refers to active opposition between family members. Because of the nature of family relationships, it can take a wide variety of forms, including verbal, physical, sexual, financial, or psychological.
What should a teacher say in a parent meeting? ›Set the right tone for your parent-teacher meeting by shaking hands, stating your name and the subject you teach, and mentioning how happy you are to be teaching their child. Smile warmly, and offer them a seat. If you're looking for an easy way to break the ice, share a positive anecdote about their child.
What is the agenda for a parent-teacher meeting? ›A parent-teacher meeting agenda is a document that outlines the items to be discussed at a meeting between parents and teachers. Typically, the agenda lists topics such as student progress reports, upcoming events or assignments, behavior concerns, and other pertinent information.
How do you speak in a parent meeting? ›
- Be on time. ...
- Be yourself. ...
- Stay calm. ...
- Ask for explanations of anything you don't understand. ...
- Ask the most important questions early in the conference. ...
- Respectfully discuss differences of opinion. ...
- Create an action plan. ...
- Thank the teacher for meeting with you.
What is 'Pocketing' in a relationship? Just like the name sounds, the practice refers to someone hiding you from others when it comes to your relationship. 'Pocketing', or 'Stashing' is when someone you're dating hides you from their friends and family and is, unsurprisingly, a very toxic practice.
What is the no contact rule with parents? ›“No contact” means no communication or interaction whatsoever with the toxic parent or parents. Some adult children choose to bow out of the relationship with their parents temporarily until one or more ultimatums are fulfilled, and they feel safe restarting communications.
What rules should parents follow? ›- No hurting. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
- No interrupting. Wait for your turn to speak.
- No yelling in the house. Use an inside voice when talking in the house.
- No climbing or jumping on furniture. Sit on the couch or lie down on the bed.
- Demonstrating respect, genuineness, and empathy for all family members, as defined by the family.
- Being aware of one's own biases and prejudices about families.
- Providing early outreach to parents.
- Establishing the purpose of involvement with each family.
Keep communication open, show empathy and don't rush into judgements. Be available without being intrusive or 'pushy'. Spend time with the person. Take an interest in their activities, and encourage them to talk about what's happening in their life.
What are the 3 F's of positive parenting? ›What are the 3 F's of positive parenting? They are Firm, fair and friendly. These F's emphasise the importance of being consistent with your children, setting clear boundaries and expectations, and maintaining a positive relationship with them.
What are the 4 parenting styles? ›The four main parenting styles — permissive, authoritative, neglectful and authoritarian — used in child psychology today are based on the work of Diana Baumrind, a developmental psychologist, and Stanford researchers Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin.
What are the six categories of good parenting? ›The findings suggest that, in general, professionals agree on main themes of good parenting, including (1) insight, (2) willingness and ability, (3) day-to-day versus complex/long- term needs, (4) child's needs before own, (5) fostering attachment, and (6) consistency versus flexibility.
When family members are too close? ›In an enmeshed family, there are no boundaries between the family members. Instead of the strong bonds that signal a well-functioning family unit, family members are fused together by unhealthy emotions. Usually, enmeshment is rooted in trauma or illness.
Can family trigger anxiety? ›
Your Anxiety Could Be a Part of Your Family History if Your Parents: 1. Were overly stressed- If your parents or grandparents had anxiety disorders or were 'high strung' or 'stressed out' all the time, there is a decent chance that you inherited some of those genetic traits.
How do you act less awkward around people? ›- Practice small talk. Consider striking up a conversation with a stranger, such as commenting on the weather.
- Make an effort to make eye contact. This may help you appear more confident and approachable.
- Focus on the other person. ...
- Try to relax and be yourself.
- TYPE 1. PARENTING. Help all families establish home environments to support children as students. ...
- TYPE 2. COMMUNICATING. ...
- TYPE 3. VOLUNTEERING. ...
- TYPE 4. LEARNING AT HOME. ...
- TYPE 5. DECISION MAKING. ...
- TYPE 6. COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNTY.
- Status update meetings. ...
- Decision-making meetings. ...
- Problem-solving meetings. ...
- Team-building meetings. ...
- Info-sharing meetings. ...
- Innovation meetings.
For some people, meeting with family isn't as much a source of excitement as it is a source of anxiety. Spending time socializing is more nerve-wracking than invigorating. You might be part of this latter category for whom family gatherings cause more nervousness than enjoyment.
What is family anxiety? ›Beginning with the former, family anxiety simply means anxiety that permeates through the whole family. It occurs when everyone is anxious about the same thing, but the anxiety can come out in different ways and each person can feel anxiety differently.
Why do I feel distant from family members? ›Sometimes, emotional detachment may result from traumatic events, such as childhood abuse or neglect. Children who live through abuse or neglect may develop emotional detachment as a means of survival. Children require a lot of emotional connection from their parents or caregivers.
What are the 5 Rs of family engagement? ›I offer five Rs—respect, responsiveness and reassurance, relationship, reciprocity, and reflection—to help you build trust and promote positive family engagement in your preschool classroom.
What is the 5 5 5 rule relationship? ›The 5-5-5 method is simple, according to Clarke. When a disagreement comes up, each partner will take 5 minutes to speak while the other simply listens, and then they use the final five minutes to talk it through.
What are the four essential elements that makes a stronger family relationship? ›- Mutual Respect. A lack of respect creates problems in any relationship. ...
- Time for Fun. Quality time is another key ingredient to building a healthy, happy relationship. ...
- Constant Encouragement. ...
- Communicated love.
What should be talked about in a family meeting? ›
Discuss one topic and solve one problem at a time.
The family may want to start by everyone sharing some of their major grievances and also some positive moments within the family. The topic(s) of discussion in the family meeting should be something that affects the whole family.
- Do you share a name with someone else in the family?
- Did you have a nickname growing up? ...
- Have you had a nickname as an adult?
- When and where were you born?
- What was your parents' and grandparents' religion?
- Do you follow a religion?
- Where was your first house?
20 questions is designed to improve your little one's problem-solving skills and help develop language skills simultaneously. This game will also help to build your childss memory and recall skills, challenging them to think beyond what they can see in their immediate surroundings.
What are the 3 C's of a healthy family relationships? ›A strong and healthy relationship is built on the three C's: Communication, Compromise and Commitment. Think about how to use communication to make your partner feel needed, desired and appreciated.
What are the 6 characteristics of a strong family? ›- Strong families express appreciation and affection. ...
- Strong families have a strong commitment to each other. ...
- Strong families spend enjoyable time together. ...
- Strong families manage stress and crisis effectively. ...
- Strong families have a sense of spiritual well-being.
- Plan quality time. Consider quality vs. ...
- Prioritize family dinners. ...
- Organize game night. ...
- Make chores a family activity. ...
- Make room for alone time. ...
- Get exposure to other families. ...
- Make sure all family members are heard.
The purpose of Family Team Meetings is to keep children safe, promote children's well-being and support families. Building Trust. The facilitator explains the family team meeting process and answers any questions the family has about the meeting.
How do you write a family meeting agenda? ›- Discussion Topics. This is the part of the meeting where we discuss the issues that have arisen during the week.
- Goal Check in. ...
- Discuss Last week. ...
- Calendar & Schedule update. ...
- Menu Planning & Grocery List. ...
- Chores. ...
- To Do lists. ...
- Budget.
Family Group Meetings enable families to be involved in decisions about their child, and build on the strengths and resources within the child or young person's family group, cultural community and wider community. Family Group Meetings are organised by a convenor who prepares and facilitates the meeting.
What are the goals of a care family meeting? ›The key functions of a family meeting are to build rapport with the family and to offer support, provide updates about the patient's medical status, discuss prognosis, and ensure that treatments are consistent with the patient's goals.
What are the ten benefits of effective family meetings? ›
- Learn about each other and the world. (Curiosity)
- Practice communication skills. (Sociability)
- Overcome challenges together. ...
- Reflect on feelings. ...
- Live your family values. ...
- Set and achieve shared goals. ...
- Have fun and inspire one another. ...
- Appreciate and understand your loved ones.
The individuals on the CFT provide input into the development of a child and family plan that is strengths-based, needs-driven, and culturally relevant. The CFT recommendations must be considered in any placement decision made by the placing agency and the services to be provided in order to support the child or youth.
What are 5 things you would include in a meeting agenda? ›- The theme of the meeting.
- Goals.
- A list of topics.
- Estimated time allotments for each topic.
- Supporting documents.
- Time for free discussion.
- A final overview.
- Date and time of meeting.
- Names of the participants.
- Purpose of the meeting.
- Agenda items and topics to be discussed.
- Action items.
- Next meeting date and place.
- Documents to be included in the meeting report.
- Show and tell. ...
- Caption contest. ...
- Play “would you rather?” ...
- Best backdrop contest. ...
- Guess the location. ...
- Joke of the day. ...
- Scavenger hunt. ...
- Guess the picture.
- Keep it upbeat. ...
- Don't try to control participation. ...
- Encourage every person who lives in the home to join the meeting. ...
- Be creative with the meeting space. ...
- Give everyone a chance to lead/record the meeting. ...
- Be creative with the agenda. ...
- End each meeting with a fun experience.
A family group conference is a family-led meeting in which the family and friends network come together to make a plan for a child.
How do family relationships impact a child? ›Through this socialization with family, your child will learn how to trust, seek friendships from others, and find comfort with others as well. Generally, we have to learn how to make and sustain relationships. These skills are started and strengthened with the family.
What are family goals examples? ›- Spend More Time Together as a Family. ...
- Get Your Kids Involved in Extracurricular Activities. ...
- Create a Family Budget. ...
- Eat Healthier as a Family. ...
- Go on a Family Vacation. ...
- Get the Whole Family Involved in Volunteering. ...
- Improve Your Family's Communication.
Discussions about the patient or surrogates personal goals or the overarching goals of treatment, such as preserving life or focusing on comfort. Examples include being able to recover enough to engage in meaningful conversation, being comfortable, or living to a specific event.
What is an example of a goal in a care plan? ›
In your nursing care plan, you can set deadlines for a patient's progress or treatment. For example, you might have a goal to have a patient regain movement in their arm in one month. Setting a deadline can help you measure progress, and it can motivate your patient to continue their treatment plan.