UU@Home August

As summer comes to a close, many families are getting ready to head back to school and are preparing to dive back into a daily routine. And now that our New Year’s Resolutions are but faint memories (I mean, that WAS a whole 7 months ago), it might be time to revisit our promises to one another. Building a family covenant can be a great way to start off a new phase of the year on the right foot.

What is a Covenant?

Building a covenant is another way of talking about the promises that we make with one another. Going through the process of building a covenant can help you and your loved ones think about what each of you need to feel safe at home, and it helps to initiate conversations about how to find a path to forgiveness when promises are broken.

How can we create a Covenant?

Invite the entire family together (young and old) to brainstorm some ideas about how we want to be with one another. Consider asking these questions to help start the process:

· How should we behave when we are together?

Examples might be broad: “We keep our home safe and fun,” while some may be more specific: “We use loving words.”

· How SHOULDN’T we behave when we are together?

Remember to post your family covenant where you can refer to it easily and add to it as needed.

· How should we remind each other when we break our covenant? What words should we use?