Do you have a mission for yourself? How about for the family?
It seems common for corporate organisations to have mission statements which guide employees and stakeholders towards certain objectives and ways of conduct. How about mission statements for families?
Perhaps a family mission statement can help guide our behaviour based on shared values and propel the family towards being better beings. It is also a tool to encourage family unity. And certainly one that can foster a desirable family culture.
What is a Family Mission Statement?
A family mission statement is one way to express a shared vision for the family. It can be in a form of a paragraph, a poem, a few sentences all about what the family will strive to do. It is a tool that helps steer the family in an agreed direction.
How to Craft a Family Mission Statement
1. Sit everyone down for a family meeting
Crafting a family mission statement takes time and it might take a few meetings to do this. First sit everyone down, with devices away, and brief the children on what the task is. Even if it is for 10 minutes (especially for those with younger children), ensure that you have everyone’s undivided attention when introducing the activity.
2. Ask questions and Listen to Everyone
After introducing the activity, ask questions and listen to what everyone has to say.
Some suggested questions include:
- What is our purpose as a family?
- What values do you think are the most important in our family?
- What kind of family would you like to have?
- What are the most common words we hear in this family?
- How can we help one another in the family?
- What do you like or dislike about the family?
- Which family do you admire? (in real life or on screen)
- How do we want to be remembered when we die?
- What kind of relationships do we want in this family?
- What are the activities we enjoy most?
It is best to have a “scribe” to write down keywords and answers discussed. Each opinion should be valuable even if they sound strange or awkward.
3. Pen down the values
Assign an older child to pen down the values that are common amongst the family members. Then prioritise the ones that are commonly agreed to be the most important.
4. Create the Family Mission Statement
Based on what has been discussed and the values agreed upon, the family mission statement can be crafted.
It can be crafted in different ways, a poem, prose, a story, comic, drawings and there is no one way to do it. Ensure that the statement is clear, legible and visible. Each family is unique and statements likewise, can be presented very differently.
Examples of Family Mission Statements
Get inspired by some of these statements we have seen.
Enjoy the process, it is another opportunity to get to know each other better. This family statement is like a directional signage and signals the direction the family hopes to head towards.
We hope this exercise will help your family become a more harmonious, united and loving one!
