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Checklist for your first family meeting

Prepare yourself Do some reading on what family meetings are and what purpose they can be used for. Think

about and understand your personal goals in wanting to initiate family meetings.

Contemplate how you think your family will view these goals – what is in it for them?

Critically evaluate yourself to determine if you have the skills to facilitate the first meeting.

Identify your 'family'

Who will you include in the meeting? Do you want grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins,

grandchildren, nieces, nephews, adults, children, spouses, significant others, step children?

Anticipate family member

objections/difficulties and how you

Will any members not participate? Will any members try to take over the meeting? Will any

members get angry or otherwise out of control? Will any members get on their soapbox or

Prepare your family to meet

After educating your family on what family meetings are and your vision for your family,

propose a general purpose for the first meeting and gather thoughts on agenda items from the

members. See if there is interest from certain members to fill certain roles (note taker, joke

teller, story teller, speech maker, facility prep or whatever). Determine their thoughts on how

long the first meeting might run and a general time frame they could be available.

Set the agenda for the first meeting

Based on your goals and the family members' thoughts, set the agenda for the first meeting,

including anticipated time required for each agenda item. Be sure to include time (if needed)

for family members to deepen their knowledge of each other – especially if new spouses or

members who seldom interact are present. Be sure that there is a clear and measurable

outcome included in the agenda items. Include humor and family story time if possible.