Discovering Your Family's Values

Families may use different tools and techniques to identify and develop their family values. All of which involve listening, asking questions, and reflecting.

Within your family, ask yourselves:

• Why do we engage in certain traditions/behaviors/rituals?

• What do we do as a family in difficult situations?

• How does our family make choices?

• How does each family member want the family to make choices, and how do they want to handle difficult situations?

• What traditions/behaviors/rituals does each family member want the family to engage in?

Then reflect:

• What do you like about the answers? 

• What are the most meaningful answers? 

• Which answers reflect what you find important? 

• Which answers give you the most meaning? 

Parents and children will all have their own answers to these questions. Everyone has an important perspective. It may take children longer to think of the words they want to use as they answer the questions. Be patient while having these discussions as a family. Don’t judge each other. It is important to keep the conversation safe and productive.

The answers that are the most important and give the most meaning are generally your family values.

Reach out to your installation’s Marine Corps Family Team Building for more information.