The Addams Family is so irresistible in part because they are so blissfully and wonderfully unaware of how bizarre they are. They are hence FREE to be their own people—they don’t really care what others think.

As a family they are their own creation and they unapologetically create their own kind of FUN!

I’m talking about FUN (and flow) in families today. “We are, as Robin Fivush says, indeed, living in unnerving times. We may need to physically social distance, but the stories we tell will keep us close.” What is the internal narrative shared in your home? Is it one you are intentionally telling? Are you creating the relationships and memories you desire?

Do you have a vision for where you’re going collectively?
Three ideas I will explore in more detail are …
1. A family mascot
2. A family motto (or mission statement)
3. A family group name

Learn more about Brittany Beattie and the idea of a family mascot at familyFED.com 🦩

Our family motto: Be Good, Kind and Honest, slightly encoded and displayed in the living room!

Much like a group of lion is a pride we’ve decided that a group of Geoff Julians is a JOLLY. Exploring your collective family personality, hobbies, interests and focus will give you some insight into possible naming strategies. I extended this challenge to my two sisters’ families. The Dowdles pictured on the top row are active, athletic, driven and fiercely competitive. When they get together we call it a Sport of Dowdles. The Seiters, featured on the second row are educated, über creative, organized, artistic and collaborative. A group of Seiters is a Genius.

I LOVE hearing from my listeners. Today I’m sharing three SpeakPipe messages! One from Amy, Destiny and Katie, who will talk about themed dinners, 2nd-hand board games and working together on BIG projects.

Resources

Flow is one of my most favorite books. It is science-y for sure, but I don’t lend this book and I will never give it away. It is the result of years of expert research by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly and shares so much insight into the why and how of optimal experience.

The other book turn to frequently (which I have referenced several times in previous episodes) is The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler. Bruce likely cites Flow and other research-based studies, but then he breaks is all down into practical ideas and advice mixed with real life stories.

HUGE Shout out to Close To My Heart for sponsoring me with Story Starter kits for my SpeakPipe contributors 💛