Each family has important values and guidelines which are engrained in living, working and being together. Parents and children spend nearly 1/3 of their lives together. Building a list of family values can be a useful exercise to codify what you do already in practice.
Here is a sample list.
1. To be your own authentic self
2. Have good cheer. Joke with others good-heartedly. Be self-deprecating. Always find time for laugh.
3. Invent and fantasize, optimize and craft.
5. Play, believe that games are essential and useful for all people regardless of age. Do not lose passion, interest and engagement.
6. Be free. Take decisions as your own. Understand that one person does not belong wholly to another.
7. Value the time with other people and your own time.
8. Keep a reasonable pace of life. Don’t try and do too much and lose the joy and perspective of doing. At the same time don’t go to slow that you miss out on valuable experiences of life.
9. Do not lose interest in the present day. Live for today, but keep one eye on the future and your plans.
10. Don’t get caught up in commercialism and the need to have and want more. The grass maybe greener on the other side of the fence but it may not be as well. The Jones’ aren’t necessary the ones you want to keep up with…
11. Be tolerant, caring and forgiving.
12. Do not stop thinking.
Thats just a start – build your own list and share and discuss with your family. The discussions will be valuable. Finalize your list and post it and discuss it regularly to reinforce those family values and attitudes that you feel are most important.