Ah, New Year’s resolutions. It seems like nearly everyone makes ’em and then breaks ’em. I don’t think New Year’s resolutions for families are a bad thing!
I think the new year is a great time for reflection and planning.
(Keep reading to grab your free printable goal setting worksheet!)
Our New Year’s Family Tradition: Goal Setting!
Every year on New Year’s day, my family and I sit down around the table and brainstorm.
We talk about the things we’ve done the year before and we plan for the new year ahead.
Each child comes up with one (or more!) things they want to see us do as a family in the upcoming year. My husband and I also add to the list.
Once we’re finished with our New Year’s goals, we hang it up on the wall adjacent to our kitchen where we’ll see it often.
I’m really amazed at how something so simple as writing down goals for our family helps us.
5 Reasons to Set New Year’s Resolutions for Families
1. It helps you be a team
Our family really emphasizes teamwork a lot.
We work together, we play together…our family is a team.
Sitting down together working on a little project like this is an easy way to practice working together as a team.
2. It validates your kids’ ideas
I encourage each child to participate in the goal setting.
It gets them excited about their future. It teaches them to be ambitious…and it shows them that they have good ideas.
3. You learn what’s on their heart
Last year my kids wanted to have more movie nights and family game nights. It was so insightful that they chose these goals.
Why?
Because it taught me that they crave more family time.
Armed with that knowledge, I can be more intentional about carving out special family time.
4. It’s fun to check things off
Have you ever heard someone say they make “to-do” lists just so they can check things off?
It’s a great feeling!
When you write down your goals and work to achieve them, it’s fun to check things off the list and have that sense of accomplishment.
5. It holds you accountable
It seems like we all have great ambitions.
“This year, we’re going to start doing family devotions!” Aaaaaand, it never happens.
Writing down your goals makes you much more likely to work to achieve them.
Your kids will also help hold you accountable. “Remember how you said we were gonna do more game nights, mom? We wrote it down!”
Are you ready to set Family Goals for the New Year?
I’ve created a free printable Family Goals worksheet to make goal setting easy for you.
There’s a category for:
- Places to Visit
- Family Activities
- New things to Try
- Traditions to Start
- Spiritual Goals
- And other goals
PLUS, I’ve left the year blank! You fill in the year so you can keep this printable and use it year after year!
Psst…love it? Pin it! 🙂
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