Children Should be Part of Family Decisions

There’s a saying: “A family that prays together stays together.”

Likewise, it is important that the family does things together and joins hands in facing challenges. More so, the family needs to be together in dealing

with matters that affect every family member.

Often, the family is confronted with an issue that they need to decide on together. Decision-making on matters involving the family is a very important affair among family members, and it might need for even the kids to participate. Small kids can help, especially if the issues or matters to be decided are within their range of experience. Even with the kids’ inexperience, the little ones can provide the grownup family members with a different view of the matter at hand. Also, letting kids take part in family discussions and decision-making is good training for them, given that sooner or later they will have to decide on things by themselves. The present is no longer a time for children to be made to just sit around and listen as their parents argue and decide what is good for the family. While it was probably like that in the parents’ own childhood, times have changed as the world itself has changed.

Today, children converse with their parents like grownups. In general, kids now are sensible enough to think things through. The parents themselves have observed that.

Although it is at times not advisable to let children get involved in certain family issues especially when they are too young, it is good to teach them to be concerned about problems in the family. Older children who are mature enough could participate in crucial family discussions and decisions. For example, a child should have a say as to where he or she wants to study or what extracurricular activities to enlist in. In all instances, guidance from the parents is necessary.

Children have the right to make their choices and decisions, because these concern them and they are part of the family. Allowing children to take part in decision-making at home is teaching them to be independent when they grow up. Then they will be ready to face life on their own in the future.

Even small children are not too young to learn important life skills, like making their own choices and decisions. Life only gets tougher every day for anyone, including children, so they must be made to practice facing actual life situations so that they could deal with the tough realities in life as they grow older.

While in the past children may just have to listen to their parents and elders, nowadays children have to be exposed to every aspect of life; as they will be on their own very soon and have to deal with difficult situations that come their way. It is good for them to know life situations as early as possible and, more importantly, letting them learn how to make the right decisions and choices on their own.

The home is the best place for children to decide wisely. The kids have to be allowed to speak up, to reason, and to give reasons for their decisions and choices. Parents, for their part, have to learn to listen to their little ones.

Family decisions are family matters and getting the children involved could be beneficial to everybody – unless of course the matter to be decided on is clearly beyond the kids’ experience and comprehension. But, really, there are very few things that children won’t have at least an idea about.

Indeed, there are a lot of good reasons why children should be allowed to have their say in family decisions. Even their most innocent inputs could provide important points that grownups may miss to consider.  - Marina Almodia