This school year is starting out a little different. Your child might have been learning at home for most of their last academic year, and getting back into things might be harder than usual. They might still be undertaking some home learning, or their school might have initiated new guidelines and restrictions, and their school days might look a little different. Even the school runs might be different, and your days might have had to change accordingly.
But, even with the changes, and at such an uncertain time, once the kids are at school, life seems to pass faster than ever. It’ll be 2021 before we know it, and then, the end of the school year will be hurtling towards us. This is the perfect time to set some family goals for the year.
Why Set Family Goals?
Once the kids are at school, life seems to pass by faster than ever. Our days are busy, we seem to get so much less family time, and what we do have is often taken up by our own interests and hobbies. As our children get older and start to spend more time with their friends, spending quality time together gets even harder.
Setting goals doesn’t mean that you can no longer do your own things, nor does it mean that you’ll suddenly have more time. But it does mean that you are committing to doing things together, that you have the shared intention to take pleasure in your time together, and that you’ve got plenty of fun things lined up, which will make it easier to free up some time for family. Making promises and setting goals means that life is less likely to run away from you.
Prioritize Health and Fitness
Health and fitness are more important than ever. But, if you’ve been spending a lot of time at home over the last few months, it might not have been a priority.
Look at what you can do to start taking better care of your family’s health. Look at their bedrooms, do they need new mattresses to help them sleep? If so, check this post for the latest specials and the best deals. Are you all eating well? Have you booked flu shots? Could you be doing more exercise, either separately or as a family?
Commit to Device-Free Mealtimes
Eating meals together has so many advantages for your family. But, to get the most out of family mealtimes, you need to give each other your attention. Commit to device-free mealtimes and to eating at least one meal a day together, even if it’s a rushed breakfast before school and work.
Enjoy Family Movie Nights
Family movie nights are a great way to spend time together. You can always gather for a movie, no matter what is going on in the world, or what the weather is like. Whether it’s once a month or once a week, try to stick to it and take it in turns to pick the movie.
Find a New Family Hobby
Trying new hobbies together is a fun way to enjoy each other’s company. Support each other, learn together, laugh when it goes wrong, and take joy in a new shared interest.
Take Turns Picking Family Days Out
Family days out when the kids are little are very different from family days out with teens. Younger children do whatever you want them to. Older ones complain. So, start taking it in turns. Commit to one family day out a month, and take turns deciding where to go and what to do.
Do Something for Others
Make it your goal to spend some of your family time doing something for other people, maybe volunteering at a community project, or raising money for charity.
Having family goals doesn’t mean that you can’t be flexible. Things come up; we all know that. Some family movie nights or days out will have to be canceled. But, sticking to them when you can will help you to form a strong family unit, ready to take on the world.
Speak Your Mind