256. LIVE Family Check-In with My 9-Year-Old (Family Brand Method)

In this episode of the Family Brand Podcast, Melissa sits down with a very special guest—her nine-year-old daughter, Indie—to do something the Smith family does every single week: a family check-in. Instead of just talking about the concept, they actually walk through a real check-in live on the podcast, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at how these simple conversations help their family stay connected and intentional.

The Smith family has a weekly rhythm where they gather for a short family meeting and individual check-ins with each child. The goal isn’t to lecture or correct behavior—it’s simply to connect. During these conversations, they ask a few consistent questions: What’s important to you this week? How can we support you? What goals do you want to set in different areas of your life? By creating space for these conversations regularly, it helps each child feel seen, supported, and understood.

In the episode, Indie shares what matters most to her right now—things like riding her horse Stella, skateboarding outside, and planning time with friends. She also sets a few small goals for the week across four areas the family focuses on: spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social. These goals don’t have to be complicated. Sometimes they’re as simple as working on a church talk, learning more about national parks for homeschool, doing a short workout, or planning a get-together with friends. The point isn’t perfection—it’s helping kids build awareness and intention around how they spend their time.

Melissa also explains that these check-ins often include a small weekly challenge and, of course, something fun like a treat or snack. Over time, the routine has helped their kids open up about what’s happening in their lives. Because the conversation happens consistently each week, the kids know they have a safe place to talk about goals, struggles, and ideas they’re thinking about.

As Indie puts it simply, check-ins help the week feel less chaotic. Instead of just reacting to whatever happens, the family gets a chance to pause, get clear about what matters, and support each other. And sometimes the most important outcome isn’t the goals themselves—it’s the reminder that everyone in the family has a voice and someone who cares about what’s important to them.

 

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand
• familybrand.com/quiz
• familybrand.com/retreats. 

 Links For This Episode:

• Family Meeting Playbook: http://familybrand.com/meeting 

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 00:00 – Introducing today’s special guest: Indie
• 01:05 – Meet Indie: homeschool, horses, and being the youngest
• 02:10 – How this podcast episode came together
• 02:45 – What family check-ins are and why the Smith family does them
• 03:40 – Where to download the Family Brand meeting guide
• 04:10 – Creating a relaxed environment for check-ins (beds, snacks, candy)
• 06:20 – Question #1: What’s important to you this week?
• 07:10 – Writing down what matters and tracking it as parents
• 07:45 – Question #2: How can we support you this week?
• 08:35 – Setting weekly goals in four areas of life
• 08:50 – Spiritual goal example (church talk)
• 09:20 – Intellectual goal example (learning about national parks)
• 09:55 – Physical goal example (workouts and staying active)
• 11:05 – Social goal example (spending time with friends)
• 11:50 – The weekly challenge and why it matters
• 13:10 – Examples of past challenges with kids
• 14:15 – More examples of goals kids can set
• 16:10 – Why check-ins bring clarity to the week
• 17:10 – Following through on what kids say is important
• 18:20 – Using check-ins to support kids’ goals
• 19:00 – Indie’s biggest advice: always include a treat
• 19:40 – Why consistency makes check-ins easier over time
• 20:20 – Kids opening up about bigger challenges
• 21:10 – Funny examples from older siblings’ check-ins
• 22:00 – Final encouragement to try check-ins with your family