Ten Guidelines for Establishing Family Ground Rules

Ten Guidelines for Establishing Family Ground Rules

1. Be Moderate. Role model rules

2. Be Specific. Meet specific needs

3. Be positive. Base ground rules on teaching virtues

4. Establish specific, relevant consequences for breaking rules

5. Use consequences that are educative, not punitive, restorative, not retributive

6. Be consistent

7. Communicate rules clearly

8. When giving consequences, make sure to also give reasons

9. Make ground rules non-negotiable

10. Be flexible and revise rules over time.

Source: Linda Kavelin Popov, from the book, “The Family Virtues Guide”