Author's Note/Memory Lane (May 216
I remember posting this on Facebook months ago.
The status read:
The mother called for a family meeting...
Rey and I introduced our family meeting to our children when they were still young. They have no choice but to follow. 😉 We usually held them once a week during breakfast. One by one, from the youngest to the eldest, everyone shared what had happened during the previous week. Everyone was encouraged to share a thought, whether serious or not. Somehow, even the simplest conversations always became part of the fun. 😄
Even after Rey was gone, we continued the tradition every now and then.
Pero super tagal na ng huli! Kelan na nga ba?
So, God made a reason for me to call a family meeting! This time, it wasn't around the breakfast table. It was in my bedroom.
❤️❤️❤️_________________________________________________________
Without planning it, we found ourselves having another family meeting recently—this time right back at the breakfast table on a Monday morning.
It just happened.
I couldn't shake off what I had observed the day before after Mass. My two youngest, Tenten and Yeye, had done something that didn't sit well with me. I knew I needed to talk to them.For Rey and me, breakfast on weekends had always been the best time for family conversations or whenever possible. There was something special about beginning the day or the following week by saying what was in your heart.
Whether we talked about happy moments or disappointments, successes or failures, misunderstandings or hurts, we always tried to end our family meetings feeling lighter than when we began. We wanted everyone to leave the table ready to face the day or the week without carrying grudges against one another.
Communication had always been one of the values we wanted our family to live by.
Swapping My Hats
But wait...there's more!
While we were still at the breakfast table, one of our foremen unexpectedly arrived. He was handling one of our construction projects, and my daughter was surprised to see him because she thought he was already at the job site.
To make a long story short, we uncovered a simple Monday morning miscommunication that had led to a few minor problems at work.
In an instant, our family meeting became a business meeting.
Just like that. I had to shift from being "Mom" to being "Boss." That transition was never easy.
As a mother, I could scold my children when necessary. But at work, I had to be careful. My tone had to be different. My approach had to be different. I couldn't simply wear my "mother hat" while making business decisions. Once again, communication proved to be the key.
Beautiful Coincidence
And as if the day wasn't interesting enough, later that afternoon Facebook flashed a memory on my screen, one I had posted six years earlier about... family meetings. What a beautiful coincidence.
Looking back now, I realize those family meetings were never just about solving problems.
I'm grateful Rey and I started that tradition while they were still young. Because long after the breakfast table became quieter, the conversations remained.
And I hope they always will.🙏