Family Life Merit Badge

Revised January, 2023

Requirements for the Family Life merit badge:

1. Prepare an outline on what a family is and discuss this with your merit badge counselor. Tell why families are important to individuals and to society. Discuss how the actions of one member can affect other members.
2. List several reasons why you are important to your family and discuss this with your parents or guardians and with your merit badge counselor.
3. 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. With the approval of your parents or guardians and your merit badge counselor, decide on and carry out a project that you would do around the home that would benefit your family. Submit a report to your merit badge counselor outlining how the project benefited your family.
5. Plan and carry out a project that involves the participation of your family. After completing the project, discuss the following with your merit badge. counselor:
   1. The objective or goal of the project
   2. How individual members of your family participated
   3. The results of the project
6. Do the following:
   1. Discuss with your merit badge counselor how to plan and carry out a family meeting.
   2. Prepare a meeting agenda that includes the following topics, review it with your parents or guardians, and then carry out one or more family meetings:
      1. How living the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law contributes to your family life
      2. The greatest dangers and addictions facing youth in today's society (examples include use of tobacco products, alcohol, or drugs and other items such as debts, social media, etc.)
      3. Understanding the growing-up process and how the body changes, and making responsible decisions dealing with sex
      4. Personal and family finances
      5. A crisis situation within your family
      6. The effect of technology on your family
      7. Good etiquette and manners
      Discussion of each of these subjects may carry over to more than one family meeting.
7. Discuss with your counselor your understanding of what makes an effective parent and why, and your thoughts on the parent's role and responsibilities in the family.

*This conversation may take place with only one or both of your parents or guardians.

Family Life Worksheet