201. STOP Doing These Family Traditions!

Hey Family Brand! It’s Melissa here, and today, I want to dive into a topic that feels especially timely as we head into the holidays: family traditions. Traditions can be beautiful and meaningful, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself if all of your traditions are still serving you and your family? That’s what we’re exploring in this episode—how to evaluate your traditions, let go of the ones that no longer work, and intentionally create new rituals that bring your family closer together.

When we think of traditions, our minds often jump to the big ones—holiday celebrations, birthdays, or annual events. But family traditions are so much more than that. They’re also the small, consistent rituals we build into our daily and weekly lives, like family dinners, bedtime routines, or even Sunday night check-ins. Research shows that the strongest families have the highest frequency of these rituals, not just around special occasions, but woven into everyday life.

I share some examples from our family, like how we’ve reevaluated traditions over the years. For instance, we decided to stop making gingerbread houses with extended family after moving further away, even though it was hard for the kids at first. The key is to make space for what works best for your unique family, while still honoring the core purpose of traditions: building identity, belonging, and strength.

If you’re ready to shake things up, I suggest starting with a family discussion. Bring everyone together, explain your thoughts about why you’d like to adapt or change certain traditions, and invite their feedback. One resource I recommend for this process is the book The Intentional Family by William Dougherty, which offers practical advice on how to make these shifts thoughtfully and collaboratively.

Lastly, I encourage you to double down on traditions that truly bring connection to your family. For us, family meetings and shared mealtimes have been game-changers. If you’re curious about starting family meetings, I have a free resource to guide you through the process, complete with a mini-course to make it super simple. Check it out at familybrand.com/meetings.

As you step into this holiday season and prepare for the new year, take some time to reflect: What traditions are worth keeping, and what new ones can you create to align with the family culture you want to build?

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand

Links For This Episode:

• Book- 'The Intentional Family' by William Doherty: https://amzn.to/3AJ14Up
• Get the Family Meeting Playbook: https://familybrand.com/meeting

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 – Why it’s time to rethink family traditions
• 2:00 – The importance of small, consistent rituals
• 5:00 – Evaluating traditions: What serves your family?
• 7:30 – Tips for adapting or letting go of old traditions
• 10:00 – The power of family meetings and shared meals
• 12:00 – How intentional traditions create strong families

I hope this episode inspires you to embrace traditions that truly bring joy and connection to your family. Let me know what changes you decide to make—I’d love to hear your story!