New Year’s Resolutions for Parents and Kids
As a parent or kid, you may better be able to keep your New Year’s resolutions if you make it a family effort. Come up with some commitments that will provide group benefits. It can be really fun to reach for new goals together. The following are some great New Year’s resolutions for families.
Unplug More Often
Electronics have become a normal part of everyday life for children as well as parents, and most of us spend too much time staring at our screens. Make a commitment to limit screen time daily but also to engage in an unplugged activity at least once per month. You could go on family fishing trips or play board games.
Read Together
Children are losing interest in reading at younger ages than ever—currently somewhere around age 8 or 9, according to experts. As parents, you can instill a love of reading in your children by having family time where you read books aloud together. Another option when the kids get older is to have a read-in, where everyone lounges comfortably in the same room, reading their own books. If your family is in the car a lot, play audiobooks on CD when on the road—with passengers putting away their screens and listening. Whether reading or listening to a book together, have discussions about the books.
Schedule Silly Time
A little silliness can break monotony and give relief from stress. For a family getting silly together, it can also strengthen relationships. One of the great lessons of life that a parent can pass on to kids is not to take yourself too seriously. Schedule monthly fun that provides a great backdrop for silliness. Get together in places you don’t usually gather, such as the kids’ room, in the yard, or in a remote location. Be impractical! Wear fake moustaches, talk in silly voices, or be goofy in whatever ways you can imagine.
Make Gratitude a Family Habit
A thankful heart is a happy heart. When things at home drive parents to the point of exhaustion, pause to be grateful for the fleeting moments with the kids. Take time, also, to express thanks to children, such as when they do a good job on chores or do something thoughtful. As a family, schedule an event for giving to the less fortunate on at least a quarterly basis. Help with food bags for the hungry. Visit the elderly at a nursing home. Save money together to donate to a good cause. These types of things can help to create attitudes of gratitude.
Create a Family Scrapbook
Create scrapbooks or photo albums to record your life as a family. Schedule time at the end of each month, with everyone bringing their contributions and ideas for what to add to the book of memories. Include a family photo each month and accomplishments made by the children and parents.
Participate in Family Fitness
Decide on one or more fitness activities that the entire family can participate in. Practice yoga together, go bike riding, do dance exercises, go on neighborhood walks, or do any sports activities as a family that can count as healthy physical movement you can engage in as a group.
Happy New Year!
What better resolution could there be than for the family to succeed together? What resolutions would be perfect for your family unit? When you have tiny ones who can only come along for the fun, you can look forward to the days when they are old enough to participate. On every step of your journey as a family, you can make things even more meaningful, when you strive for goals and celebrate victories as a team.
