New Year\u2019s Resolutions get a bad rap on social media these days, mostly because they tend to revolve around weight or self-improvement that can be seen as chasing unreasonable beauty standards, but that doesn\u2019t have to be the case! This list of New Year’s resolution ideas for families will you can focus on what really matters\u2014deepening the connections in your nearest and dearest!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are all about family fun here at Let\u2019s Roam, and our family-centered adventure book<\/a> is expertly curated by relationship and travel experts to ensure that you and your crew get the most out of every moment together. With more than fifty scratch-off adventures, you can cook, dance, learn, and get active as a family, and have a blast while doing it. Just pick a category. Scratch off an activity, and enjoy! Adventures From Scratch: Family Edition<\/em><\/a> makes the perfect Christmas gift for your family or your favorite adventurous clan. Grab your copy today, and watch the magic unfold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order to make your resolutions worthwhile, you need to set the scene and put a few parameters in place. Otherwise, like your new diet, your family resolutions will flop!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Family resolutions should include goals that the whole family (if age appropriate) can rally around. If you, as a parent, impose goals on your children that they have no interest in, you’re just setting up a year-long argument. Instead, set a time. Give everyone a couple of days to brainstorm at least one resolution that they think will benefit the whole family. Come together and talk about the options. Give a few suggestions that you think will help everyone, and then choose a few that everyone is on board for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any goal, without a proper plan, is bound to fail. After you have chosen your goals, work out a plan to achieve each one. There should be daily tasks, a way to track your progress, and maybe even a prize for the end!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t expect the whole family to keep their end of the bargain if you don\u2019t model the behavior. Think hard about your goals, but once you make them, stick to them! Model the behavior you want to see from the rest of your clan. Nagging them won\u2019t work. Goals should be fun and something to aspire to, not something to drag everyone down. If you find that you’re falling behind, just go back to the plan and make it visible to your family that you’re doing the tasks. You can also just ask a simple question at dinner, like \u201chow can we take a step towards our family health goal today?\u201d Let the conversations ensue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Goals and plans should be realistic. That means they fit into your normal daily schedule, aren\u2019t going to break the budget, have daily tasks that don\u2019t take much time or effort, and can easily be monitored and measured. Bust out the chalkboard or peg board, and put your plan in a common area where everyone can remind themselves of the plan. Don\u2019t choose more than three or four goals for your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways to keep everyone interested in the resolutions is to put each family member in charge of one of the goals. Think of it more as a cheerleader than a hall monitor. Each person makes one of the goals for their baby and thinks of ways to incorporate the plan in a fun and easy way. Taking ownership not only increases cooperation but also greatly magnifies the creativity of the process, as everyone is consistently putting in new ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This list of resolutions is full of great suggestions, but they might not be perfect for your family. If you have preschoolers, your goals are obviously going to be very different of a family of teenagers. Feel free to tweak the time allotments, frequency, etc. The only parameters are that your goals should be measurable and trackable. For instance, \u201cwe are going to read more\u201d is not as easy to track as… <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s be real for a second. We could all use a little less screen time, and a little more stimulation of the imagination. Set up a chart in each person\u2019s room where they can check off their nightly goal. For small children, you can use stickers or put ping pong balls in a jar with the date written on them. There are many fun options for tracking your progress. Get creative!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kindness is lacking in many of our families… especially in tween siblings, sheesh! Challenge your family to perform and document one random act of kindness for someone in the household each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One easy way to increase your family\u2019s green factor is to help your city conserve water. Set up a timer, and challenge each family member to make it out in five!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Family game night is an institution that sounds daunting at first. However, it\u2019s so easy, and it really does increase your bond. Conversation tends to occur naturally as you play. You have moments to teach challenging concepts like losing with grace, and you’ll laugh a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can bust out the board games, or include a distant family with our Virtual Game Night!<\/a> Use our interactive app<\/a> to compete in trivia challenges, in-home scavenger hunts, or Pictionary!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your family is anything like most, you probably don\u2019t call grandma nearly enough. Set up a virtual video chat with Aunt Marg, your long-distance friends, or a grandpa each week. Choose a family member. Schedule a time for your call, and enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n An easy family goal to incorporate healthy habits in the upcoming year is to get outside. Take a walk around the neighborhood. Plan a garden. Clean up the yard. Get some fresh air! It increases physical activity, helps you clear your mind, and exposes your immune system to seasonal germs in small doses to help keep you healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We know, \u201coutside\u201d is a dirty word for some kids. Take some tips from \u201cThe Secret to Getting Kids to Play Outside.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure, there are days when you just want your kids to go watch a movie and stop calling your name every five minutes, but kids of all ages are spending too much time in front of the screen, on average. Limiting screen time forces children (and parents) to engage with one another, do something that utilizes creativity, and get outside more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthy eating is a struggle in America for sure! We are busy, and Chick-Fil-A is fast and yummy. Set a goal to improve your eating habits. Pack your own snacks for games and practices. Keep some fruit lying around for easy grabs, and replace french fries every now and then with a fruit cup! Make it more interesting by trying new foods. You know that weird, spiky, purple thing you\u2019ve contemplated in the produce section, now is your time to try it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new year is the perfect time to reorganize your family chore structure. Too many homes have one parent carrying the load, while everyone else heaps on the mess. Spread out the work this year by assigning age-appropriate daily chores. Happy New Year kids… sweep the floor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need some help with this one, take a cue from \u201c11 Ways to Make Chores Fun!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep is important… especially if you have teens. Set a bedtime and try to stick to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Life is busy, we get it. However, there\u2019s no replacement for the love and wisdom that grandparents or elder mentors offer your kiddos. Go visit grandma once a month, or invite them over for dinner. It\u2019s easy, and it will become one of your most meaningful family traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writer’s note:<\/em><\/strong> Our family meets every single Friday night for dinner. We go to the same bbq place every week. Then, we have game night at the grandparents\u2019. It\u2019s nothing special, but it\u2019s something we all look forward to each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who couldn\u2019t use a little more encouragement this year? Challenging each family member to look for the good in each other and state it verbally is a simple and effective way to improve your family life. It increases gratitude, encourages kindness, and helps mend hurt spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teach your kiddos (and yourself) some financial responsibility this year! A good goal is to put back 10% of whatever you make. This includes birthday money for grandparents and anything they earn from jobs or chores. Open each child a bank account and teach them to manage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bathe puppies at the animal shelter. Help stock the community food pantry, or serve some soup at a local gathering for the homeless. Serving the less fortunate produces benefits that are hard to achieve any other way, and it\u2019s even better when you do it together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wondering how you’re going to save 10%? Well, eating at home is a great way to start! You may have to eat early (before practice), or you might need to get a snack and eat after your event. It\u2019s one of the harder goals on the list, but the health benefits are great, and it helps you save some money for other fun stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create something beautiful together. It could be a simple printable color sheet from Pinterest, or one of the crafts in our Adventures From Scratch: Family Edition.<\/em><\/a> Paint a canvas for the living room. Learn a new hobby like knitting. There are so many options out there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a hike. Peruse the local thrift stores. Plan a weekend at the lake. Go on a shopping excursion. Whatever it is that your family loves, take some time away to enjoy! Plan it in advance, and don\u2019t let other events take priority over your family time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key to a happy family often revolves around a healthy relationship between the parents. Make sure you take time to nurture the original relationship at the heart of your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teach the act of giving by going through old toys this New Year\u2019s Eve. They likely got new ones at Christmas anyway. Find a place to donate nice toys, and involve your kids in every step from choosing toys to delivering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use those pennies you save from eating at home to book a week at the beach or in the mountains! Talk about it at mealtime and make plans together. Having something to look forward to makes saving easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sit down at dinner, once a week, and have everyone state something they are thankful for. You can also set up a jar where you can drop in a thankful note when they come across your mind and then read them at dinner. Thankfulness is linked by multiple clinical studies to decreased stress and all-around healthier, happier folks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay, we have discussed eating at home to save money, but another goal is to actually gather your crew at the table to eat together. Each person having cereal in their own bed doesn\u2019t really have quite the bonding effect of everyone sitting at the table together. It\u2019s a time for catching up and conquering some of the other goals on your list. If you really want to get wholesome, consider cooking the meal together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose a way to document your family time this year. It could be a polaroid photo wall, a family journal, where everyone jots down memories or an end-of-the-year photo album.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A fun way to ensure that your kiddos have all the necessary life skills is to set a family goal to learn a new skill each month. This can be balancing a checkbook, using a power tool, or changing a tire. Make a list of 12 life skills, and check one off each month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An effective family bonding goal is agreeing to construct something together. Brainstorming a plan, shopping for tools and supplies, and enacting your plan provide teaching moments and lots of laughter, and you have a finished product to celebrate your success. You could build a treehouse, a new dog house, or install a fence together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This last goal could be combined with the last one. Homes take maintenance. That is a fact. You might as well make it a family affair and give your kiddos some ownership of the home they occupy. Paint a room together. Powerwash the house. Plant new flower gardens, or redo a bathroom. Doing it together gets the kids invested in what goes in their home and gives them a sense of pride in their accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alright, guys. We hope you found something inspirational on this list. Remember, all suggestions can be easily tweaked to fit your lifestyle, and you can adjust them throughout the year if your original goal is just not achievable like you thought. It\u2019s better to adjust than to give up. Happy New Year everyone, and good luck with your resolutions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have suggestions for us, drop them in the comments!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dating is one of your goals this year, remember? Get some easy ideas from \u201c30 Date Nights for Parents.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSuccess starts with proper process<\/strong>!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do it together<\/strong>!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Make a plan<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Practice what you preach<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Keep it simple<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Get everyone involved<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Family New Year\u2019s Resolution Ideas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. We\u2019re Going to Read for 30 Minutes Before Bed<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. We Will Perform One Random Act of Kindness Per Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. We Will Conserve Water With 5-Minute Showers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. We Will Have Game Night Once a Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. We Will Call a Family Member Once a Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. We Will Get Outside for Twenty Minutes per Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. We Will Limit Personal Screen Time to Thirty Minutes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. We Will Eat Two Fruits and Three Veggies a Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. We Will Each Do a Daily Chore to Keep the House Tidy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. We Will Get 7-8 Hours of Sleep per Night<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. We Will Visit Grandparents Once a Month<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. We Will Say One Encouraging Thing to a Family Member per Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. We Will Save 10% of What We Make<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
14. We Will Do a Family Service Day Each Quarter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
15. We Will Eat at Home Five Nights per Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
16. We Will Do a Monthly Craft Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
17. We Will Take an Adventure Each Month<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
18. We Will Have a Date Twice a Month<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
19. We Will Donate Old Toys at Least Once This Year<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
19. We Will Take a Family Vacation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
20. We Will Show Gratitude Once a Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
21. We Will Eat at the Table Four Nights a Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
22. We Will Document Our Year<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
23. We Will Learn a New Skill Each Month<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
24. We Will Build Something Together<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
25. We Will Do One Project This Year to Improve Our Home<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMake It Happen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n