We make a date - literally!
I keep a master calendar of all the who/what/whens for everyone. There's a copy printed out and kept in the kitchen for everyone to look at and make changes to and I update it weekly. About twice a month, I schedule a family meeting and put it on the calendar. If my crew doesn't fill me in on where they need to be for what or put it on the kitchen calendar, then the calendar rules.
I try to schedule it on a weeknight (do have teen dating issues Well we use conversation cards sometimes during dinner. They have specific
topics and we take turns answering them. (We simplilfy the questions for our
5yr old) It breaks the ice and gives us all a chance to have a say about a
specific topic. We then transition on to other things. Daily communication
is tough. I end up emailing my husband at work or else our schedules do
not mesh. Phone does not work unless we text message. Sad isnt it?
How does your family make time for this?
Not for the fun times, but for family pow-wows.
I'm wondering; b/c I try to have dinner as a family meal every evening. This is hard b/c dh works different hours, as do I. But we think it is valuable time. However, since it is really the only time most days that the whole family is in one place at the same time, sometimes our family discussions become family problem solving sessions. I think this is necessary and unavoidable, but dh doesn't want his meal disrupted by this. So we are working on solutions. (he hasn't found one yet,
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