71. Agreements vs. Expectations: Why Every Parent Needs To Understand This

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Agreements and expectations. For many families, these two terms can be interchangeable. However, for parents who want to build their family by design, and not by default need to understand the difference. The results can lead to less fighting, more peace in your home, and not to mention the life lessons and character-building your kids learn along the way.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Chris here and today I am flying solo for an episode. Melissa asked me to take the microphone on this topic because I am so passionate about it after seeing the power of this play out first hand in the Smith household. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The power of coming into agreement as a family isn’t just a nice saying or about</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">“getting along with each other better.”</span></em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have listened to the show before, you know that we like to treat our family as a team. Of course, Melissa and I are the captains but just like in any great team, it takes commitment from every player. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It can be frustrating for the entire family when little chores fall through the cracks like dirty dishes, taking out the trash, walking the dog, etc. Understanding agreements vs expectations could be helpful in situations like this, but this conversation can go a lot deeper than to-dos and housework. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Understanding everyone's expectations and agreements around family time, self-care, time with friends, hobbies, sports and more can lead to overall more peace and fulfillment for every member of your family. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hit play if you want to start saving time, energy, and frustration in your family with this simple and practical concept. Within minutes you’ll understand what an agreement actually is and how to effectively commun