Making the Most of Meetings, Part II
Andrea Kelly
Brookeville MD USA
Contributions from Natalie Rawlings Kraut, Plantation FL USA; Roni
Mitchell, Pontiac MI USA; and Kristin Carter, West Babylon NY USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 39 No. 2, April-May 2003, p. 31.
Many meeting designs fall
into one of two formats. The conversation/discussion format involves
prepared discussion questions that each mother answers at her own pace.
Keep questions open-ended so mothers don’t feel they’re being
quizzed; begin them with "what," "how," "describe,"
"outline," or "explain." If misleading, incorrect,
or views contrary to that of LLL are expressed, you or your co-Leader
may tactfully interject appropriate information. When preparing for
this type of meeting, devise follow-up questions and plan to call on
attendees who are willing to contribute to specific topics. A drawback
to this format is that talkative mothers can easily dominate while shy
mothers may be overlooked.
The round-robin format may
open with a question that is answered by each mother in turn, or with
the Leader passing out written discussion questions/statements that
each mother reads in turn. This format allows you to have greater control
of the flow of the meeting as you may respond after each mother speaks,
adding LLL’s information and point of view as needed. Some drawbacks
are that mothers’ participation is less spontaneous, they may feel
put on the spot, and the responses may become repetitious. Furthermore,
attendees may anticipate their turn and not pay close attention to what
others say, and if the meeting is large, those at the end of the circle
may not get their turn.
Meeting ideas may be drawn
from a wealth of sources. LLL books or articles appearing in Area Leaders’
Letters, Leaven, and New Beginnings may offer the seed of an idea or
quotes for discussion. If you have already devised meeting titles for
an annual schedule, these titles may spark a wonderfully original meeting
idea. Ready-to-use meeting ideas may be found in the Leader’s Handbook
(2003 edition), on the LLLI Web site (www.lalecheleague.org), or in
compilations put together by various Areas. Popular culture can provide
catchy ideas, such as "Who Wants to Breastfeed a Future Millionaire?"
Other Area Leaders may have good meeting ideas you can use. Another
option is to use a meeting idea that you remember from early LLL meetings
you attended. If you still remember it, it must have been good!
Maintaining interest from
month to month is another factor to consider when planning meetings.
No Leader likes to hear, "‘The Advantages of Breastfeeding’
again? I’ve been to that meeting already!" Varying the topics
covered from one series to the next may keep mothers coming back. For
example, Meeting 1 may look at the benefits of breastfeeding to the
mother or baby in one series, and to the father and siblings or to society
and the environment in the next. Meeting 2 may address adjusting to
motherhood, changing roles in the family, or the early weeks of breastfeeding.
Meeting 3 can focus on the art of breastfeeding or overcoming difficulties.
Meeting 4 may cover starting solids, nutrition, weaning, or loving guidance.
Theme meetings or theme series
titles may also help maintain interest. Examples of theme meetings are
a mothers’ appreciation meeting near Mother’s Day or a meeting
about beginnings in January. Theme series involve a four-meeting series
loosely based around a central idea, such as "Breastfeeding—The
Worldwide Womanly Art":
Meeting 1: Breastfeeding
Does a World of Good
Meeting 2: The Whole New World of Parenthood
Meeting 3: A World of Advice—Finding What’s Right for You
Meeting 4: Whole Foods from the Whole World: Eat Well While Pregnant,
Breastfeeding, and Beyond
A Leader’s children
can present challenges to her ability to lead the meeting. Planning
ahead with snacks and toys can help keep little ones happy. Older children
may benefit from a discussion of the behavior you expect of them, as
long as the expectations are realistic. With a bit of advance warning,
co-Leaders may be counted on to jump in when your children’s needs
draw you away from the meeting at a critical juncture. Family harmony
may benefit from easy meals and lots of free time the rest of the day
on meeting day.
LLL Group-owned toys can
help keep many attending children happy. Inexpensive, quiet toys can
be purchased at thrift stores or yard sales. These toys show up only
at LLL meetings, so they seem new to children who only see them monthly.
Also, because they belong to the Group and were not brought by individuals,
such toys may reduce sharing and possessiveness problems.
End the meeting promptly.
Keep an eye on the scheduled end-time as well as the state of the children.
As with nursing, watch the babies, not the clock! Sometimes before the
clock runs out the children will indicate that it is time to go home.
After the Meeting
Evaluate how the meeting
went with yourself and also with co-Leaders, Leader Applicants, and
other attendees. Let your District Advisor/District Coordinator know
how the meeting went by promptly sending her your meeting report.
This article was originally
published in the Fall 2002 edition of Lantern, the Area Leaders Letter
of Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia (MD-DE-DC), USA. Andrea Kelly
and her husband, Marcus, have three sons: Aidan, 6; Ronan, 4; and Keiran,
2; and a baby due in June 2003. She has been a Leader with LLL of Olney/North
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA for three years, and Area Leaders’
Letter Editor for LLL of Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia for
a year. Brandel Falk is the Contributing Editor for this column.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:12 UTC 2007.
