Difficulty: Explorer (Level 1)
Dealing with conflicting rules can be tricky. Family meetings can help everyone to communicate better.
To get started, the family should agree on some ground rules. Here are examples of rules you can set.
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Speak in a calm tone and volume.
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Every member of the family has a turn to share.
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Do not interrupt when someone else is talking.
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Practise active listening.
Each meeting should have one goal. For example, if the conflicting rule is about bedtime, then that is the only topic during the meeting. Everyone should have equal time to speak. Each person can share why a certain bedtime is best. The goal is to agree on a new rule.
Family meetings should be short so that everyone stays focused. A decision should be made by the end. If not, the topic can be paused until next time. The goal of this is to stop family arguments from continuing.
Take notes during the meeting. Then, everyone can check the rules to follow in the future.
But some parents might still struggle to agree after many meetings. Then, you may need to reach out for more help outside your family.
Social workers are experts in helping people learn healthy communication. Or perhaps your parents would be more comfortable speaking to someone they know. This could be a family friend or relative.
This question was answered by Elizabeth Jung Rowlinson, a mental health therapist at Your Relationship Clinic.
