The new year is a chance to reflect as a family on the goals you have accomplished and the opportunities for becoming even better. Not to mention, it’s also a great time to work on improving your family’s health, wellness, and connection. By setting family goals, and special New Year’s resolutions for kids, you can check in with both your family’s physical and mental health, and decide the best way to maximize this going forward. Keep reading for ideas on how to create healthy New Year’s goals as a family!
Activity
Health and physical activity go hand in hand. Set goals for the new year that hold each other accountable for exercising! Get outside for some fresh air and go for a walk or hike as a family. Make a plan to walk for at least 30 minutes a day or three times a week if you have other exercise activities already. If your family is up for it, try out a new sport together!
Nutrition
Right after the holiday, there is a good chance you have had a few more sweets and treats than normal. This makes New Year’s resolutions for kids an ideal opportunity to check in with how to improve nutrition for the year. Make a plan to clean the fridge and pantry once a month and get rid of foods that are unhealthy. Decide as a family what dietary needs suit your goals and stick to foods that abide by your plan. As you enhance your diet, this is a chance to experiment with new foods and flavors! Try to make a new healthy dish once a week as a family for fun and health.
Bonding
The holidays are a time for connection and togetherness. Set family goals to keep this up throughout the year! Choose a few bonding activities that you all love and incorporate them into your weekly routine. For example, opt to have family dinners every night or hold a game night once a week. If your kids always seem to be on their phones and computers, try to limit their screen time — not as a punishment — but to find activities that are more rewarding and promote connection as a family!
Sleep
Sleep is an incredibly important part of health and development for your kids. Set goals as a family to improve everyone’s sleep schedules. For example, try to have the whole family in their beds at an arranged time, working together as a team to get a full 8 hours of sleep each night. Make sure all electronic devices are away at least 30 minutes before bed and provide options like reading in bed or check in as a family before bedtime each night.
Reflection
New Year’s goals are all about reflecting on the year behind you and planning for the year ahead. Make it a priority to talk about things each of you is grateful for, happy about, or even struggle with each day. This offers a chance to set an example as parents for your kids to be grateful and to instill a routine of checking in with each other in case your child needs to ask for help.
At Coastal Kids, our passionate team of pediatricians is here to support the health of your family every step of the way. To learn more about healthy ways to set family goals for health and wellness, set up an appointment with your pediatrician. We hope you have a wholesome holiday and a healthy New Year!