Learn about family dynamics, identify your role in your family, and complete 90 days of home duties to earn this Eagle-required merit badge.

Requirements

  1. 1. Understanding Family

    What Is a Family?

    Prepare an outline on what a family is and discuss this with your counselor. Tell why families are important to individuals and to society. Discuss how the actions of one member can affect other members.

  2. 1. Understanding Family

    Your Role in the Family

    List several reasons why you are important to your family and discuss this with your parent or guardian and with your counselor.

  3. 3. Contributing at Home

    Home Duties & Chores

    Prepare a list of your regular home duties or chores (at least five) and do them for 90 days. Keep a record of how often you do each of them. Discuss with your counselor the effect your chores had on your family.

  4. 3. Contributing at Home

    Individual Home Project

    With the approval of your parent or guardian and your counselor, decide on and carry out an individual project that you would do around the home that would benefit your family. After completion, discuss the objective or goal and the results of the project with your family and then your counselor.

  5. 5. Family Projects

    Family Project

    Do all
    Plan and carry out a project that involves the participation of your family. After completing the project, discuss the following with your counselor:
    1. a The objective or goal of the project
    2. b How individual members of your family participated
    3. c The results of the project

  6. 6. Family Meetings

    Do all
    Do the following: Note: Some of the issues surrounding requirement 6 for the family meeting could be considered of a personal nature. Use discretion when reviewing this requirement with the Scout. Discussion of each of these subjects will very likely carry over to more than one family meeting.
    1. a.

      Planning Family Meetings

      Discuss with your counselor how to plan and carry out a family meeting.
    2. b.

      Meeting Agenda Topics

      Do all
      Prepare a meeting agenda that includes the following topics, review it with your parent or guardian, and then carry out one or more family meetings:
      1. 1.

        How living the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law contributes to your family life

      2. 2.
        The greatest dangers and addictions facing youth in today’s society (examples include mental health challenges, use of tobacco products, alcohol, or drugs and other items such as debts, social media, etc.)
      3. 3.

        Discuss with a parent or guardian how bodily changes can affect the choices you make as you physically and mentally mature.

      4. 4.

        Personal and family finances

      5. 5.

        A crisis situation within your family and whom you can turn to for support during these situations.

      6. 6.

        The effect of technology on your family

      7. 7.

        Good etiquette and manners

  7. 7. Effective Parenting

    Understanding Parenthood

    Discuss with your counselor your understanding of what makes an effective parent or guardian and why, and your thoughts on the parent or guardian’s role and responsibilities in the family.