Establishing a Family Mission Statement

What is a family mission statement?

In any project, it is important to know from the beginning where you are going; this principle is true for
the family. An airplane should know its destination before it takes off, shouldn't it? (Prov 4:26 "Give
careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.")

Everything is created twice; once by a concept, an idea, a dream and a second time by its
concretization. A house needs a plan before it can be built, doesn't it?

"Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov 29:18): in the absence of mental creation, of
projection into the future, we let ourselves be tossed about by the flow of current values and trends.

To establish a family mission statement is to assume the first creation of your family, to identify what kind
of family you want to be, and what principles will allow you to achieve it.

Finally, we can state the following definition: the family mission statement is the expression, by ALL the
members of the family, of their common goals (what they want to be and do together) and the
principles they choose to achieve them.

This mission statement will evolve with our family, according to events, ages, etc.

The family begins with the couple!

It is important to live out the process as a couple first.

"Most of the difficulties of married couples come from different expectations of each other's role and
differences in the way they approach problems.”

Establishing a family mission statement ...

It is important to realize that in this kind of endeavor, the process is as important as the outcome. It is
essential to give time, energy, enthusiasm, patience, ...

First step: Find out what everyone wants:

- Create a climate of trust

- Listen with respect
- Make room for each person to be personally involved
- State possibilities, not limits

Step two: Shape your mission statement:

- Be creative!!!
Text, poem, song, drawing, photo, object, souvenir, symbol, motto, flag ...
Third step: Refer to your mission statement:

- Display it
- Learn it by heart
- Discuss it
- Rework it

Practical advice

To initiate the process:

- Bring the family together to introduce the concept of a family mission statement and begin to
develop it.
- Add an attractive aspect (visual, creativity, atmosphere, snacks, informality, etc.).
- Limit the length of the meeting to the attention span of the children. It is preferable to take regular
short periods of time.
- Take time personally with each person to talk about it one-on-one.

To gather ideas:

- Choose a time when the family is relaxed, available.

- Ask questions that will help everyone identify what is important:
⮚ What family do we want to be?

⮚ What do we want to accomplish together?

⮚ What atmosphere do we want in our home?

⮚ What relationships do we want to have with each other?

⮚ How do we want to act toward each other?

⮚ What are the gifts, talents, and abilities of our family members?

⮚ What are our responsibilities as a family?

⮚ Which families inspire us and why?

⮚ What makes us want to go home?

- Rephrase what others say to make sure you understand
- Take notes, without making value judgments, without prioritizing!

To write the mission statement:

- Identify key words and ideas that overlap

- Suggest setting priorities in order of importance
- Invite everyone to write, draw, ... a statement on their own
- Work on a common statement
- Allow time for it to mature, digest and become familiar with it

For the children:

- Have the children make a list of what to pack for a vacation. Then tell them the destination is the
North Pole!!! Is the equipment adequate? Isn't it better to know where to go from the start?
- Ask the children to try to put into words what they would like for their future: on a personal level, then
on a family level...
- Hand out writing and drawing materials to express important family things
- Ask the children to cut out from the newspapers what they would like for their family.