Innovations in End-of-Life Care
an international journal of leaders in end-of-life care

Family Time Information Sheet¹
© 1996 Prevention Research Center, Arizona State
University. Published here with permission.

Deciding what to do is sometimes a difficult decision, especially when there are children of different ages. However, family decision making is an important skill. Here are some ideas to help this decision-making process.

Advance Planning
Have a family meeting in advance. Don't wait until it's time to have Family Time and then try to figure out what to do.

Letting Kids Choose
Let the kids select what activities they would like to do. If it's their decision, then you don't get blamed if it doesn't work out well. Sometimes you'll need to make the best of a bad situation when the kids haven't made a good choice. But let them make the choice, so long as it's within the rules. You have veto power if their choice is too expensive or time-consuming.

Have a Meeting to Brainstorm Possible Activities
Write the ideas generated down and put them in a bowl. When it is time for Family Time, someone picks a slip from the bowl. The key to making this system work is that everyone agrees to do whatever comes up on the first draw, and all activities that go in are agreed on by all family members. You can use this approach if you are willing to do any of the activities in the bowl.

Too Few Choices
Sometimes, it is hard to come up with activities for Family Time. Here are a few favorites of families who have participated in our program in the past:

	Trip to Baskin Robbin's			Play Monopoly in Teams of Two
	Hike in South Mountain Park			Have Hot Dogs in the Park
	Walk Along the Canal			Play Marco Polo in the Pool
	Make Pizza			Slumber Party in the Living Room
	Feed the Ducks at the Park			Pro-baseball

Big Age Spread

With kids of very different ages, it's sometimes best to go to a place, like a park of a lake where different aged kids can do what interests them. Try, however, to make it a "family" outing by including a family activity like a game or a walk.

Remember the key factors: Let the kids choose and be responsible for their choices; no fighting or complaining; don't spend lots of money; and HAVE FUN!

¹ Excerpted from: Ayers TS, Wolchik SA, Weiss L, Sandler IN, with Jones S, Cole E, Barrow S. Family Bereavement Program Group Leader Intervention Manual for Parent Program. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University Prevention Research Center, 1996.

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