Why make family resolutions?
Life is busy and resolutions are notoriously broken before the end of January. So why even bother?
It’s about being more intentional. We all need to regroup and focus on our priorities as parents from time to time. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your to do list and have the day pass by in a blur. Taking the time to intentionally set family goals and resolutions can help make sure your days include the activities and ideals that are important to you.
We’re excited to partner with Horizon Organic to share the 7 resolutions every family should make!
Resolutions Every Family Should Make
There are going to be other things that are specific to your family that you may want to focus on this year as well, but these are the big ones all families can benefit from. If the word resolutions is a turn off think of them as family goals or parenting intentions, it doesn’t really matter what you call them as long as you find a way to incorporate them into your life.
Make time to eat together.
Study after study talks about how important it is for families to eat dinner together every night, but it is often easier said than done. While we’d all love to sit down to a classic family dinner each night the reality is that extra curricular activities, work schedules, and bedtimes just don’t always align. Instead of stressing about how bad this is think outside the box to make eating together work for your family. Maybe you have a family breakfast or sit together before bed and have a snack, just taking making it a priority matters.
Part of the reason we love our sponsor Horizon so much is they make it easy for families to bond over food. Whether it’s a semi-homemade twist on a box of their Classic Mac or a simple recipe for Morning Munch Mix for a quick breakfast idea they have so many ways to make the food prep easier so you have more time for family.
Do good together.
Doing good together as a family feels good and is a great bonding experience. Sit down as a family and decide what types of things you want to do. Brainstorm a list of volunteers opportunities, acts of kindness, and ways to make a difference as a family. Choose which ones resonate the most with your family and make a plan to intentionally do them throughout the year.
A couple years ago instead of doing a traditional advent calendar we decided to count down to Christmas with 24 random acts of kindness. I knew it would be a great experience but it had even more benefits than I could have predicted. It was a great way to bond as a family while showing instead telling kids that being a good person was important. Since then this has been a year long focus for us that we won’t be stopping anytime soon.
Get moving.
Another no-brainer. An active lifestyle has so many health benefits and is a great stress reliever. But how often are you actually active together as a family? If you the answer is quite often then keep up the good work! Focusing on health is a great example for kids and a lot of fun.
If you can think of a million times that your children have played, but don’t remember the last time you got up and ran around with them then this is a good one to add to your list. As my kid got older and more independent I found that the amount of time I was actually active with them decreased. We’ve had fun signing up for family friendly runs and going outside to play soccer together more often. It’s the little things like running around the block with them that make a difference and lead to a lifestyle change.
Unplug and connect.
It’s so important to spend time together without the interruption of phones or other devices. If your kids are old enough to have their own phones, tablets or iPods then you probably have set up rules regarding it’s use, but do you have a family rule for the grown-ups too?
The exact guidelines you come up with will be specific for your family, there is no right or wrong, as long as you are making sure to intentionally unplug so you can connect with your kids. If you aren’t sure where to start sit down and ask the kids. They’ll have the best suggestions, like no phone during dinner or while you are watching my soccer game. It may be impossible to do everything but having a conversation about it is a great place to start.
Save money.
Having money saved for an emergency or a big purchase makes life so much less stressful. It’s also a really important lesson for kids to learn. Set aside money for something you need and talk to your kids about it too. You can create a family vacation jar where everyone puts a certain amount of money in each month.
Or if you already have a bunch of savings for the family you can help your kids set up some sort of savings routine for themselves. Whether it’s saving for college, a cool toy or a car when they are older the teaching them the importance of long term saving is so valuable.
Schedule downtime.
Yes, I said schedule it. We always think we have more time than we need which is why life can get too busy! Schedule time to just hang out and do something together just like you would a play date or doctor appt.
Saying no to other commitments so you can go outside and play after school is just as important as making sure you go to the dentist twice a year. Put it on the calendar and make some memories with your kids.
Read together.
Read together every day. Even just a short story or two and make such a difference for your kids and create some really sweet memories. If your kids know how to read already you can alternate between them reading to you and you reading to them. You could even have a time when everyone is reading their own books all snuggled together on the couch.
If you are having trouble finding time or getting everyone together think of what would work. You can read at bath time or even while they’re eating or drawing. Any type of reading will work!
The great thing about these resolutions is that they can really be broken. Once you decide on your family’s plan you can get started. If you get off track (life has a way of getting crazy!) then just make a new plan or try again another day. The point isn’t to add stress, it’s to make your life less stressful by focusing on what really matters to you.
So make this a year to focus on and connect with your family! You’ll be surprised by how quickly these resolutions become habits and how being intentional can make make such a big difference in your family.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organic. The opinions and text are all mine.
Great article! You are right on the money with each one these!!!
Thanks! I need these reminders sometimes!!!! Happy New Year Crystal!!!!!!!