Family Manifesto

As I settle more and more into my role as "mama" (my kids are 3 and 6), I yearn for repeatable traditions and celebratory patterns to share with my children. My goal as a mama is always to create a healthy sense of wonder and simultaneously, a sense of confident emotional safety for my children. At this particular time of year, I tend to draw hearth-side and ruminate on the way in which I want to live my life. So, in the spirit of intentional living, my little family sat down a few nights ago to create a Family Manifesto.

The idea was inspired by Amanda Blake Soule's book Rhythm of the Family, in which she outlines ways for a growing family to live in harmony with nature and with each other. It's a great read if you haven't seen it. Our family manifesto is basically a contract between the myself, my husband and our two children that outlines how we'd like to spend our energies. It is a reflection of what we deem important in our day-to-day life. We'll be doing this four times a year at the beginning of each season since the needs of the family will undoubtedly change as we do.

We've framed the image below and hung it in a prominent place in our home for quick reference and frequent reading. My 6-year-old came up with the first four, but they're all goals that every family member agreed to and endorsed. I think this will be a wonderful way for our boys to help direct the course of our home life, but also a great exercise in collaborative living.