Family Rules Revisited...

Last summer I shared our Family Rules  This list was created when I was spending too much time being the referee to my boys.  Our Family Rules are: * Be Kind * Share * Mind Your Manners * Sing * Laugh * Play * Clean up your Mess * Always tell the Truth * Pitch in & Help * Believe in Yourself * Keep your Promises * Leave a Trail of Love*

 

Recently the boys  have needed to revisit the Family Rules.  We moved the list to a more prominent place in our kitchen and, when needed ask them which rule would help solve their current argument.  There are a couple of rules in the list, that they were thinking were kind of...fluffly...unimportant, or at least less important.  So, with Valentine's Day approaching, I decided we needed to spend some time with Leave a Trail of Love.

 

I want my boys to understand the premise of kindness, the idea of doing something for someone else in which you don't stand to immediately benefit.  To help with this idea, I embellished a gift bucket I found at Target...

Everyone in the family is encouraged to drop a note in the bucket illustrating something they have done to Leave a Trail of Love, or thanking a family member for an act of kindness.  

 

I decided to start and left notes for both boys.  I've been sick for four days...four days of being on the couch, four days of no laundry, little help with homework, no cooking, four days of no mom.  I haven't been this sick in a long time.  My boys astonished me...they pitched in to help, they were thoughtful and helpful, they anticipated things I would need and thought of ways to help that were truly helpful.  I wanted them to know that this was what Leave a Trail of Love was all about...and left them Thank You notes in the bucket.

How do you help your kids understand what's important?