5 Ideas for Keeping Balanced New Year’s Resolutions as a Family
With the start of 2014 upon us it’s common for many people to set New Year’s Resolutions around living healthier and more balanced lives, following in-line with what Together CountsTM encourages for families all year long. Whether it’s about eating better, being more active, or taking better care of yourself, health and wellness is at the top of our minds. This is a great opportunity to engage children in the process of creating family resolutions or goals together. By working as a family, you can not only set your New Year’s Resolutions together, you can also encourage each other to work on them throughout the year.
Rather than focusing on generic New Year’s Resolutions such as “be more active,” or “staying hydrated,” it might be better to work on specific goals as a family. By breaking down your resolutions into more achievable milestones, you increase your chances of meeting your goals and keeping your resolutions all year long. Here are some ideas for balanced New Year’s Resolutions you can work on throughout 2014 as a family!
5 Ideas for Family New Year’s Resolutions
- Designate a week out of the month to try a new vegetable or fruit. The whole family can get in on the fun by trying the new food in new recipes for dinner or perhaps by taking it as a side item for lunch.
- Set specific activity goals for the family. One idea could be to take a walk in your neighborhood as a family each Wednesday afternoon (or whichever evening is best for your schedule).
- Try to eat dinner as a family as often as possible, but at least 3-4 times a week. Eating together allows you to talk about your days with one another, creates good eating habits, and makes for quality family time.
- Schedule monthly family game days. You could head outside and play classic children’s games like “Red light, green light” or “Freeze tag” or more organized games such as basketball or football. Whichever games your family prefer, spending even 30-60 minutes playing them together on a Saturday morning will likely be a hit!
- Make it a goal to hydrate as a family and help yourselves achieve that goal by purchasing reusable bottles for each member of your family. Label each container with each family member’s name and keep it filled in the fridge so that everyone always has their own for easy access. My two-year-old loves that he has his own bottle he can recognize and grab all by himself!
What other resolutions can help you and your family live a more balanced life for 2014?
For more New Year’s resolution tips, check out these Together Counts’ resources:
Melanie Edwards is the founder and editor of modernmami™.com, an award-winning lifestyle blog, and owner of Ella Media. Originally from Puerto Rico, Melanie now resides in the Tampa Bay area of sunny Florida with her husband of 10 years and two children. Connect with Melanie on Twitter via @ellamedia & @modernmami.