Family Values and Mission Statements

I wanted to talk a little about family values and creating a family mission statement.  Even if you don’t write out a formal mission statement, you should carefully choose the values that you are going to build your family around.  As parents, we decide what we want our family life to be like.  It’s not just by chance.  The values you choose to build your family around need to be followed by you, the parent.  You are the example. 

Values are not situational, they are fixed.  Values are written in stone, so lock them in.  Behave consistent with your values no matter how tired or irritable you are.  No matter how inconvenient it is or how badly your children are behaving.  The way you live, not just what you say, is the real example your children will follow. 

When your children become teenagers, they will be making a lot of choices on their own.  Choices like whether or not to smoke, to try drugs, engage in sex or use alcohol.  You need to have a good system of values already in-place to ensure responsibility from your children.

Here are some values that cultivate character, and good ones to add to your families list:

Respect for Truth.  Teach your children to honor truth, respect it and seek it out.  Never deviate from it. 

Open Communication.  We are there for each other, we listen and we share.  We don’t punish each other for being open and honest.  We are not sarcastic, pessimistic or spiteful with each other.

Compassion.  Teach your children to be caring of others.  Don’t dismiss or blame other people, help (physically and financially) those that are less fortunate or capable than yourself.  The Golden Rule is the backbone of our family philosophy.

When you set up your families list of values (mission statement) be clear on what each value means.  Values will then direct the family activities and each person’s expectations.  Every decision that is made should be consistent wtih our values.

A mission statement could go something like this:  Our family values love, patience, helpfulness, support, caring, understanding, integrity and being there for each other.  We are people of substance that make a positive impact on others.  We are clear about what we stand for, and what we won’t stand for. 

 When children are clear about what’s acceptable and expected, they perfrom much better.  Hope, confidence, feeling happy and positive all flourish in a secure environment that is predictable.  Volitile, inconsistent parents create children with low self-esteem and low levels of confidence.  Be consistent and create a very positive and predictable environment for your kids to thrive-in at home.