How to Create a Family Values Statement (With Examples and a Template)
Some families talk about their values all the time without ever articulating what those values actually are. Others have a clear, instinctive sense of what the family stands for — but have never written it down, never discussed it explicitly, and never put it in a form that could survive the generation that holds it.
A family values statement changes that. It is a living document — not a legal one — that answers the question: what does this family believe, and why?
Here is how to create one that actually matters.
How to Create a Family Values Statement (With Examples and a Template)
Some families talk about their values all the time without ever articulating what those values actually are. Others have a clear, instinctive sense of what the family stands for — but have never written it down, never discussed it explicitly, and never put it in a form that could survive the generation that holds it.
A family values statement changes that. It is a living document — not a legal one — that answers the question: what does this family believe, and why?
Here is how to create one that actually matters.
What a Family Values Statement Is — and Isn't
A family values statement is not a mission statement in the corporate sense. It doesn't need to sound polished or professional. It doesn't need to include every value the family holds. It needs to be true — specific enough to mean something, honest enough to guide real decisions.
The best family values statements share three qualities:
•
They are specific, not generic.
'We value honesty' is a start. 'We tell the truth even when it is uncomfortable, because we believe that a relationship built on convenient fictions is not actually a relationship' is a values statement.
•
They reflect real history.
The most credible values statements point back to the experiences that produced them. 'Our family's commitment to hard work comes from watching our grandparents build something from nothing — and knowing what it cost them.'
•
They are forward-facing.
A values statement is not just a description of the past. It is a message to future generations about what they are inheriting and what is expected of them.
What a Family Values Statement Is — and Isn't
A family values statement is not a mission statement in the corporate sense. It doesn't need to sound polished or professional. It doesn't need to include every value the family holds. It needs to be true — specific enough to mean something, honest enough to guide real decisions.
The best family values statements share three qualities:
•
They are specific, not generic.
'We value honesty' is a start. 'We tell the truth even when it is uncomfortable, because we believe that a relationship built on convenient fictions is not actually a relationship' is a values statement.
•
They reflect real history.
The most credible values statements point back to the experiences that produced them. 'Our family's commitment to hard work comes from watching our grandparents build something from nothing — and knowing what it cost them.'
•
They are forward-facing.
A values statement is not just a description of the past. It is a message to future generations about what they are inheriting and what is expected of them.
Step-by-Step: How to Build Your Family Values Statement
Step 1: Gather the Stories First
Values don't exist in the abstract — they are produced by experience. Before you write a single value, spend time with the family stories that illuminate what the family has stood for. The grandmother who refused a bribe. The grandfather who started over at 50. The parent who chose a harder path because it was the right one.
Stories are the evidence for values. They make the values credible and emotionally resonant rather than aspirational and empty.
Step 2: Identify Five to Seven Core Values
Most effective family values statements are built around five to seven core principles. Any more becomes unwieldy; any fewer may miss something essential. For each value, ask:
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Can I point to a real family story that demonstrates this value?
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Would most family members recognize this as genuinely ours — not just aspirational?
•
Is this specific enough to actually guide a decision?
Step 3: Write a Paragraph for Each Value
Each value in your statement should have three components: the value itself (named and defined in your own language), the story or experience that produced it, and a forward-facing statement about what it means for future generations.
This is not a quick exercise. Expect to spend real time on each value — revising, reconsidering, asking whether the language captures what you actually mean. That investment is exactly the point.
Step 4: Review as a Family
A family values statement gains meaning when it is shared and discussed. Not every family member needs to agree on every word — but the document should feel recognizable and true to the people who live by it
Consider dedicating a family gathering to discussing the draft — what resonates, what feels missing, what language captures the family more precisely.
Step 5: Record It, Don't Just Write It
A written family values statement is valuable. A recorded one — where parents and grandparents speak about each value in their own voice, explain its origins, and address future generations directly — is irreplaceable.
YourStoriesLive.com™ allows you to attach video or audio recordings to any written document in the platform, so the values statement lives both as text and as a spoken, human record.
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A Family Values Statement Template
Use this structure as a starting point:
•
Our family values [VALUE]
We believe [explanation of the value in your own language]. This came from [family story or experience that produced the value]. We pass this on because [what it means for future generations].
Example: 'Our family values perseverance. We believe that difficulty is not a reason to stop — it is often the signal that what you're doing matters. This came from watching our grandmother rebuild her life after losing everything at 40, with three children and no safety net. She did not ask for sympathy. She asked for time. We pass this on because we want our grandchildren to know that resilience is not an accident — it is a choice, and it is one they are capable of making.'
Watch on
YouTube
A Family Values Statement Template
Use this structure as a starting point:
•
Our family values [VALUE]
We believe [explanation of the value in your own language]. This came from [family story or experience that produced the value]. We pass this on because [what it means for future generations].
Example: 'Our family values perseverance. We believe that difficulty is not a reason to stop — it is often the signal that what you're doing matters. This came from watching our grandmother rebuild her life after losing everything at 40, with three children and no safety net. She did not ask for sympathy. She asked for time. We pass this on because we want our grandchildren to know that resilience is not an accident — it is a choice, and it is one they are capable of making.'
Build your family values statement on YourStoriesLive.com™
Write it, record it, and make it part of an archive your family returns to for generations.
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Build your family values statement on YourStoriesLive.com™
Write it, record it, and make it part of an archive your family returns to for generations.
