Ah, it’s that time of year again for the famous (or infamous) New Year’s Resolutions. These are often made in haste with the hopes of making some drastic changes but most of the time the resolutions fail and by February, it is a long forgotten goal. It can be so ridiculous that one year I made a resolution never to make New Year’s resolutions again. But like the resolutions, I haven’t kept that promise.
What makes the New Year so appealing? It’s as if it’s a big Etch-O-Sketch and it’s being erased and we have a do over – a chance to make a better life. The New Year comes with hope, which is why people want to strive to do better as the calendar changes over.
Here’s a good thought, why not make the New Year Resolution be family oriented? By involving those we love the most, we can hold each other accountable for a positive outcome and in reaching these new goals.
Great Family-Sized New Year’s Resolutions
Healthy Dieting
One of the biggest New Year’s Resolutions is weight loss for many adults. This can still hold true for your family, however, you want to take the focus off weight loss for the children. Unless your child is obese, they do not need to go on a diet to lose weight, even if you need to do so. Instead of saying weight loss, make a resolution to eat healthier. Make it a family deal and start to introduce a better diet for all of you. If you eat right to begin with, weight loss is a natural occurrence with a healthy diet.
It’s also a fact that people who learn and follow a plant-focused diet are the ones who achieve their fitness goals. You may visit health site like https://vojo.health/ to get coaching and tips to make sure you’re getting fitness goals right.
Make it a goal to include vegetables with each meal. Trade a junk food favorite for a healthy snack. Example, if the kids and parents like to eat cake or pies, try making homemade granola out of healthy whole grains and nuts instead. Teach the children there are better alternatives to junk foods.
Fitness
Another favorite New Year’s Resolution is in getting fit. The truth of the matter proclaims that physical fitness is good for the whole family and not just the adults. Instead of making a New Year’s resolution for the whole family to join a gym (unless you and your kids just really want to do that) make it one that involves physical activity with a fun slant.
*Buy passes at the local pool and make it a goal to swim so many laps a week. Work up to a good goal so by the end of the year your family has made marathon progress.
*Buy softball equipment and teach the kids how to play! (or baseball or soccer). Play a sport that normally requires a team but make it a fun family time.
*Come up with a walking /jogging / running mile challenge. Make a goal of 100 miles, or even 500 miles for the year. Spend time walking trails with the family three to four times a week. This is a great way to get in shape and spend quality time with the children.
Fun Family Dates
Make a resolution to have a family date either every week or once a month. Let each person have a vote from a list of fun things to do and places to go on a family date. You can do things like go see a movie, go ice skating, go shopping at the mall, visit a zoo, go to an amusement park, see a historical marker, visit distant relatives and friends, and a number of other fun things to do. “Zip lining, painting workshop, dance lessons, or the like.”
Home Improvement Projects
What better way to teach the children how to do home improvement projects than to have it as a New Year’s resolution. Make it the year to create new room colors. How about building bookshelves? What about teaching a sewing project. Make all new throw pillows. Let the kids be involved in the planning process and teach them simple home repairs like how to unclog a bathroom sink drain.
Pay it Forward
Make a resolution to pay it forward. Look around you and see what all you can do to help others. If you live in a neighborhood with elderly people take the family over for spring cleanup. Wash their windows, weed their yards. Let the kids help with gardening. Pick a project a month and find someone to bless. Ask your local church if they know of those in need who could use your help. The kids will learn a lot from such a project and by the end of the year, you will have twelve people or families whom you have blessed.
What are some good New Year’s resolutions to make as a whole family?
Table of Contents
Family resolutions work best when everyone has a stake in them. Consider making a resolution to eat healthier together — not by putting kids on a diet, but by adding more vegetables to each meal and swapping junk food favorites for healthier alternatives. Scheduling regular family dates (weekly or monthly) where each person gets a vote on the activity is another resolution that tends to stick because everyone has fun with it. Paying it forward through a community project each month is also a powerful one that teaches children generosity alongside the practice of keeping commitments.
How can I make fitness a family New Year’s resolution my kids will actually enjoy?
The key is to frame fitness as a fun family activity rather than a chore. Get pool passes and set a lap goal you build toward together over the year. Buy sports equipment for a simple backyard game like softball or soccer. Set a family walking or jogging mileage challenge — 100 or 500 miles spread across the year is very achievable at a few walks per week, and tracking the progress together keeps kids engaged. Activities like these make fitness feel like family time rather than exercise.
How do I involve my children in a “pay it forward” New Year’s resolution?
Choose one community project per month and make it something your children can actively participate in. Helping an elderly neighbor with yard work or window cleaning, gardening alongside someone who cannot manage it alone, or asking your local church to connect you with families in need are all great starting points. Letting the kids take a real role — not just watch — is what makes the experience stick. By the end of the year you will have touched twelve households, and your children will have learned that generosity is a habit, not a one-time event.
From all of us at More4kids. Happy New Years!! May 2023 bring all our readers and their families health, peace and happiness 🙂
Greetings! I'm Kevin, the founder and chief editor of More4Kids International, a comprehensive resource for parents worldwide. My mission is to equip parents with the tools and insights they need to raise exceptional children.
As a father to two incredible sons, I've experienced the rollercoaster of parenthood, and it's these experiences that drive my dedication to making More4Kids a trusted guide for parents. Our platform offers a wealth of information, from time-saving parenting hacks to nutritious meal plans for large families, and strategies for effective communication with teenagers.
Beyond my professional role, I'm a devoted parent who champions the concept of an abundance mindset in raising resilient, successful children. I'm committed to fostering this mindset in my own children and am passionate about inspiring other parents to do the same.
Join me on this rewarding journey as we explore the complexities of parenthood together. Through More4Kids, we're raising the next generation of remarkable children and strengthening families, one parenting tip at a time.
More4kids is written for parents by parents.
Add Comment