How to Make Family New Year’s Resolutions

I can’t take any credit for this idea. It was all my 9-year-old son’s idea.

“Mommy, I have been working on an activity in my mind since Boxing Day.”

We had been talking a lot about New Year’s Resolutions and what they mean, and whether we should make them or not. We also talked about picking one word to focus on for the year.

This is when Daniel piped up with his idea. Hesitant at first, it ended up being one of the best family bonding experiences.

How to make family New Year’s Resolutions

Sit around a table. Each person has a piece of paper and a pencil.
Write your name at the top of the paper. Put numbers down the edge of the paper – the number in the group plus 1. We had 4 people, so we wrote to the number 5.

Pass your paper to the left.
As you pass the paper around, write down one resolution for that person. Something that they need to work on, or a goal you think they should try to achieve.

Keep passing the paper around until it returns to you.

Now, write 2 resolutions/goals for yourself.

The results were outstanding.

Instead of it being really negative and accusatory, it was so positive on how we can make changes to make our family stronger.

–    Learn to bake together
–    Don’t complain so much at supper time
–    Turn off the computer when the family is around
–    Develop better sleep habits

I urge you to try this activity this January, and be prepared to have your eyes and mind opened, but be prepared to work on these goals together. Post them somewhere where you can refer to them.

Happy New Year!