New Year's Resolutions for Families

New Year’s Eve is a great time to come together as a family and decide on some resolutions and goals for the coming year. Resolutions can teach children about values, passions and beliefs. Make it a family tradition to sit down together at the end of each December and talk about the things that you’d like to improve upon.

If you need a little help with your list, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1)    Practice Gratitude. The more grateful you are, the more grateful your kids will be. And the more grateful your kids are, the happier they will be. This is a life long practice that can be taught during childhood. Gratitude is associated with increased self-worth and improved social connection -- and who doesn’t want that for their children! A good place to start is by keeping a gratitude journal for things you are grateful for. You can help your child with their journal too.

2)    Get Outdoors. Studies have shown that 90% of our best childhood memories take place outside. Think about that for a second. Now think back on the best memories of your own childhood. Maybe it was camping, boating, swimming, hiking or just running around in the back yard with friends and siblings. With today’s advanced technology, it’s easy to spend all day indoors, letting kids tinker with their latest tech toys, but make it a point to get out the bicycles and hop on the swing set – you can even go exploring in your backyard to see what kind of bugs or critters you might be able to find.

3)    Start a Family Game Night. Having a family game night on a regular basis is a great way to keep the family bond strong and have some fun at the same time. You can decide whether you want it to be weekly or monthly. One great way to keep your kids interested in game night is to let them take turns choosing the game. Game night is also a great way to get your kids in the habit of communicating with you – a habit that will pay off big time when they get older!

4)    Plan a Surprise Each Month. This is a wonderful way to build wonderful family memories. Whether it’s planning a surprise trip to Disney World or just taking the family to a picnic at the beach, it’s a great way to keep the family bond strong and have a little fun at the same time!