Family Life Merit Badge Helps and Documents

While working on the Family Life merit badge, Scouts learn about how families work together for the better of themselves and for their community. They do service projects together and have family meetings. Scouts also learn about how parents are responsible for their families.

The Family Life merit badge is required for the rank of Eagle Scout.

Family Life Merit Badge Requirements

Family Life Merit Badge Worksheet

What Is a Family?

A family is a social group made up of parents and their children. Families are united through ties such as marriage, common ancestry, and adoption. A family may include extended members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Why Are Families Important to Individuals and Society?

Families are important to individuals because they provide love, security, trust, companionship, and respect for other members of the family. They are important to society because members of the family learn about communication, cooperation, independence, responsibility, and other skill which are needed in society.

Why Are You Important to Your Family?

• Your family loves you and you love them
• You contribute to the well being of the family by doing chores and pitching in where needed
• Your unique traits and talents enrich your family (list them)
• Everyone in the family has something special and different to offer

Some Chores and Duties

• Take out the trash
• Help care for siblings
• Keep your room and bathroom clean
• Wash the car
• Care for pets
• Help prepare for meals
• Do housework such as dust, vaccuum, sweep
• Help care for the yard
• Do the laundry

Chore Chart

90 days is 13 weeks minus one day.

Some Home Project Ideas

• Reorganize a closet or storage area
• Clean out the refrigerator
• Make a week’s worth of freezer meals for your family
• Check and update the family first aid kit

Some Family Project Ideas

• Clean out the garage or basement
• Paint a room
• Give a room a deep cleaning
• Plant a garden
• Plan a family vacation or reunion

Tips a Family Meeting

• Keep it positive
• Have an agenda
• Encourage everyone to participate
• Meet somewhere comfortable but not distracting
• Start by letting everyone tell the ups and downs of their day
• End the meeting by doing something fun

Family Problem Solving

• Identify a problem
• Brainstorm options for solving the problem
• Evaluate the options for practicality and effectiveness
• Choose the best option
• Make a plan to carry out the option you chose

What Makes an Effective Parent?

• Providing love and support
• Talking with their children
• Spending time playing with their families
• Setting clear rules but also being flexible when necessary
• Letting children try to solve problems themselves
• Loving their children unconditionally
• Being a good role model

The Responsibilities of Parents

• Providing love and support
• Taking care of physical needs
• Offering guidance and setting limits
• Sharing resources, time, and talents
• Teaching independence and responsibility
• Teaching values and social skills
• Passing on spirituality and family heritage

Project Planning Program Feature for Scouts BSA Troops

This program feature meshes well with the Family Life merit badge. It will help Scouts understand the planning process for their projects. It is also useful for learning how to plan and carry out the family meetings.