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Councils

One of the greatest tools in marriage is communication.  I feel like we've talked about this to great length already, and you may be wondering to yourself, "Should I even read the rest of what he's about to write?  This'll be like, his fourth blog post focused on communication."  Yes.  Yes it will be.  And yes, you should read the rest of this because communication is IMPORTANT.  I will never not communicate about the importance of communication.
However, wouldn't it be nice if there was a venue where you could trust in the powers of communication?  A place where family matters could be hashed out and decided in a somewhat civil manner?  I know that I sure do.  As the father of one little boy, I can already tell you that having more than one child under the age of 10 is going to make this dream far, far removed from me.  However, like a little tree is not ready to brave the storms of the world until it has sprouted roots, we must root our young ones in the idea of Family Councils.  By pushing through distracted family councils, we teach our son that this time will always be available to him, especially someday when he becomes a fully participating member of the council.
A Family Council is a scheduled time with all members of the family to discuss important topics, learn from one another, and make plans.  It's a time that is regular, distinguished, and with careful implementation, can actually be a lot of fun (with time and age... remember, I have a toddler, so I know where your mind is going).  
Russell M. Ballard even wrote a book on the topic called Counseling with our Councils - he give some ideas on how we can have better discussions, and I'll list a few of them to help you thinking of ways to improve your family time;
1) Set aside a specific time to have your councils - regularity really helps people get accustomed to and enjoy things better.
2) Prepare an agenda (people like to know what will be discussed before hand).  I know what you're thinking, "This is my house, not a board room!"  Well, it doesn't have to be on a memo with special letterhead - just write it on a whiteboard for everyone to see!
3) Start with a prayer - invite a calming atmosphere into the space and ask for special blessings on those around you.
4) Share your admiration for one another - this is a great way to help everyone feel appreciated in the group.
5) Perhaps even prepare refreshments for after!  Food is a primal way to bring people together! Some of the best conversations I've ever had were over a good dessert.
He gives some other advice, but I found these to be the most easily applied to Family Councils.  Above all, remember that this time gives your family to take part in the culture and traditions that you want to create in the home.  You want everyone to contribute and become a vital contributor to your family unit!  Take a moment this week to consider how you could use the Family Council method to improve relationships in your home!

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