Love them or hate them, the new year is the perfect time for people to make their resolutions for the year ahead. Following on from such a stressful year, many are looking ahead to 2021 with a sense of hope, and you might be thinking of your own goals for the new year for yourself and for your family. Here are some of the best New Years resolution ideas for families.
Less Screen Time
Many of us are guilty of it, spending too much time attached to our phone, laptop or tablet, and not enough time appreciating our surroundings. Bad habits can also be learnt by our children. Limiting screen time can help bring your family closer together, and is a brilliant resolution to agree to together.
More Days Out
Going on days out doesn't have to break the bank. Sit together and come up with some free or budget-friendly activities that you like doing and put them in a jar ready to choose from each weekend or school holiday. It is worth looking into memberships to National Trust and English Heritage, or annual passes to your favourite local attractions, as it can work out much more cost-effective.
Chore Schedule
Perhaps you are tired, as a parent, always doing everything around the house, or you want your children to become more independent as they grow up? Agreeing on a chore schedule, sharing out the tasks based on everybody's strengths and abilities, can help to bring you together as a family and prevent resentment. You could organise pocket money based on completing chores, to give children an additional incentive, whilst also teaching them about money at the same time.
Read More
If you haven't been reading to/with your children as much as you would have liked to over the past year, why not make it a resolution for the year ahead? Set aside time each night to read, and discuss the stories you enjoy together. Making time for yourself to read before bed can also help you to unwind and calm your mind.
Cook Together
Especially good for those families with fussy eaters, cooking together can help children feel more involved in dinner times, and more likely to try different foods, that they may have been reluctant to before. Easy dishes to start with are pasta bolognese, sausage and mash and homemade pizzas, but you can get creative and even have theme nights - Fajita Fridays are always popular in our house!
Save the Pennies
Teach the children the value of money, and instil positive saving habits from an early age and set up a savings jar for the family. It's up to you what you are saving for, whether it is for a fun day out, a game for you to play together or something bigger for you all to enjoy as a family. Whatever you are saving for, make it clear how much you need to save, and ensure everybody is involved with the process.
Hopefully, these resolution ideas will have given you some inspiration for your own family goals for 2021. It doesn't matter what resolutions you make, but making them together can help bring you all together, especially after the tough year we have just been through.
