Family Meetings

Question:

Dear Jane,
I have a question about family meetings. We have just started them at our home and already are pleased and having fun with the results. We have a family of four; my husband, myself and two daughters 7 and 5. My five year old has been reluctant to sit in the entire meeting unless we are talking about something that is important to her (getting a pet snake). She gets up and sits nearby, but not at the table when we talk about other things. So she hears the whole meeting. Although she participates readily in our decisions, she is marginally participating in making them with us. It is her turn next to lead the meeting. My husband doesn’t think she is ready to, but I think she should have her turn. I think she is just getting used to the idea of these meetings. She may be leveraging her power by not participating or she may be a little nervous about the whole thing yet. But the rest of us don’t want to go on without her being part of our “unanimous” decisions. Suggestions???

Thanks, Laureen