Creating my family mission statement...

This is something I've been sitting on for a little while, and mulling over...what is our family mission statement? To me, a mission statement is short and succinct. It's relatable and achievable. I have used them in business before, but never though of applying one to our family life. A mission statement needs to apply to everyone in the family, so I set about finding out what the kids thought. Here's a little of what they came up with...

• As a family we are at our best when...we work together, we catch up together and we play together.
• We will try to prevent times when we don't listen to each other...when we don't cooperate, we get in trouble because when we do naughty things and we don't listen.
• We will find more time with each other...to play the Wii, cuddle together in the big bed, play board games together, and eat dinner together.
• We will help each family member by...helping each other solve problems, listening to each other, make better use our time together, cooperate with household chores, and take responsibility for our belongings.
• We will help others by...making them feel better. We can go through our things and donate them to charity. Eme suggested giving people back massages...hmmm...
• We will stop procrastinating and start working on...listening to each other, exercising together, go for family walks, take the dog for a walk, and we should clean up after ourselves.
• We will be viewed as a family that...sticks together through thick and thin, as a family that loves each other, and leads positive and active lives. The Warrens are the kind of family you want to spend time with...laughing, talking, and sharing experiences.
• We will fill our home with happiness.
• We will make choices and decisions based on...trust, honesty, kindness, creativity, togetherness, cooperation, supportiveness.
• We will constantly renew ourselves by focusing on...eating healthier, exercising, and playing together; spending time alone to recharge.
• We can embrace each other's differences and ideals
• We can learn from our mistakes
• We can seek out new challenges
• We can laugh
• We can be nice to each other

I must say...I really underestimated Seth and Emeline. Some of the things they came up with were great! So, how do we put this into one statement?  To me, a mission statement is a set of rules or guidelines for living, and this says pretty much what I want to say about our family. It embodies the essence what our family is all about...

[available from Danielle Hardy]

I might just invest in this, and post it right at the front door so that we're reminded every single day.


Does your family have it's own mission statement?

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52 weeks to simplify your life