Family meetings provide opportunities for feelings to be aired and validated. They also allow younger children to feel they are an important part of the decision-making process when it comes to family vacations and other major and minor family functions.

Before the first meeting commences, set a few ground rules such as:

• Speak in a calm tone.
• Avoid name-calling, finger-pointing, and sarcasm.
• Turn off the TV, radio and telephones.
• Allow each person to voice his or her concerns and ideas.
• Listen to all opinions before making a decision.
• If a person voices a complaint, they must also bring to the table at least one possible remedy to the situation.

Locations for future family meetings may also be brainstormed at the first meeting. Here are a few examples:

Circle Time
Very simply, sit on the floor together, in a circle. Designate an object as a “talking token”. This can be a small stuffed animal, a necklace to be worn, a hat, or any other item that will be passed around. Whoever holds the talking token may speak. Once they are finished, they must pass the token to the next person.

Restaurant Rendezvous
Take turns choosing a favorite restaurant to host your family meetings. For this option, choose an afternoon or evening in the middle of the week, or at off-peak times, to avoid heavy crowds. End the meeting before dessert arrives, so everyone can indulge their sweet tooth happily.

Hobby Haven
I know of several families who hold their meetings at places that cater to their favorite hobbies. For instance, one family conducts their meeting at a bowling alley. Once the meeting is over, they enjoy bowling together. Another family combines their gathering with their love of books, by meeting at a café in their favorite bookstore. And yet another family I know holds their weekly meeting after a joyful round of put-put golf. This option combines family communication and fun.

However, and wherever, your family decides to host the meetings, remember this all-important point: Always end each meeting with a hug!

About The Author
Deborah Shelton is a mother, freelance writer, and author of the brand new book, The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast Activities for You and Your Little Ones. Visit Deborah’s website for more family-friendly ideas: www.fiveminuteparent.com.
deborah@fiveminuteparent.com

Turn Off Your Flash
Have your blinds open giving a lot of extra light to the area that your baby plays in the most. Have your baby set up close to a window that the light shines on your baby at approximately a 45 degree angle. Keep in mind that the time of day will determine the amount of sunlight coming in the window. Experiment at different times of the day to find the right light with your view finder, and to determine how much extra light you will need to leave on in your house.

Get Close-up Shots
Use a telephoto lens or stand directly in front of the baby’s hands, face or feet to get an extreme close-up. Don’t always try to get full body shots, shoot for that precious close up shot that will get the twinkle in your baby’s eye. Get down on the babies level and you will be able to catch some of the most precious facial moments that you won’t get from up above your baby. It is definitely possible to capture your baby’s personality on film so take advantage of it. Get pictures of all the different facial expressions, including when your baby is crying or mad.

Variety
Most people tend to take most of our photos horizontally. Try some vertical or angled shots as well. This can help fill in those empty spots in your scrapbook and will give a whole different look to your picture.

Remove Distractions
Keep your backgrounds simple and free of distractions. If you use a blanket to add texture, be sure that it is a simple color and that it doesn’t take away from your babies face. Don’t use a heavily patterned background that will take the attention away from your baby.

Black & White
Experiment with black and white pictures to give your baby a different look. Even sepia shots can give a great, old timey look to a special photo. Take pictures with toys in different formats.

Review Your Photos
When you look at your photos you will see what needs to be improved and you can work on those areas on future pictures. You will see what techniques worked out great, and what techniques didn’t deliver the picture that you were looking for.

These techniques are good for both digital and regular cameras. Remember that everyday your baby is going to be doing things that you will want to get a picture of so be prepared! In twenty years, you will be glad you were.

Diminish the Distractions
The pros will tell you one of the best tips for getting a great professional style shot of your baby is to keep the distractions at a distance – or better yet, completely at bay. Noises such as the TV or radio in addition to pets and other people roaming around will distract your little subject and make it much more difficult to get that perfect shot you’re after. So keep the environment calm, serene and uncluttered and only have the elements you really want included in that space while you’re shooting the photo.

Limit the Lighting
Bright lights will not only result in an unprofessional looking photo, but they can also annoy, distract, and hurt your baby’s eyes. Do your best to limit the use of a flash by taking pictures outside whenever possible and away from direct sunlight. If shooting at home in the evening hours, position any lamps in a flattering manner while ensuring enough, but not too much, light on your little one. Dimmer switches can be your best friend in these circumstances as well.

Distance Yourself
Even though you want to capture every detail of your baby’s precious expression, getting too close can completely ruin your shot – it may very well result in a blurred and/or fuzzy photo that pretty much defeats the purpose of your efforts. Step back and use a zoom lens and if your camera is equipped with a manual focus feature – use it. Don’t be afraid to put some distance between yourself and baby and snap multiple pictures, especially if the result is going to be that fantastic shot.

Mood Means Everything
This element of getting a professional style shot is really more up to your baby than you. You want to be completely aware of your little one’s mood before you start clicking that shutter button. If your baby is cranky or worse yet crying, even though you feel the surroundings or that little outfit they’re wearing today is just perfect, do both yourselves a favor and wait for a better moment. Your baby will be much more cooperative and you’ll be much happier with the results of the photos.

As in any new endeavor, trial and error is part of the learning experience. By following these simple steps, including making a few mistakes, it won’t take you very long to realize what makes for a great professional style shot. And once you accomplish that feat, you’ll be able to easily capture and preserve those precious memories more effortlessly than you ever thought possible.