January brings a kaleidoscope of feelings. Cue the post-holiday January blues–a lingering sadness, or a feeling of “being down” for no particular reason. But, in spite of the long, dark and cold winter days, there is also a spark of excitement as we turn a new chapter. “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet.” (L. M. Montgomery) It is the perfect time to set some goals! The staff at Sonnet Montessori are embarking on a “January Journey” to do just that, and we invite you and your family to join us!
As we were challenged in our directors meeting, it begins with reflection. Reflection brings clarity to goal setting. Over the last year, what were some of your favorite memories? Are there things that you want to keep doing? Are there habits you want to break? How can you parent with more intentionality? What, if anything, got in the way of your parenting values? How can you form stronger connections with your loved ones? How can you contribute to a positive, nurturing environment in your home? How do you encourage healthy habits in your children? How can you help foster a healthy self-image in your children? How do my children feel loved? What do they enjoy doing most as a family? What were some of their favorite memories over the last year? Where do they need to feel more supported and how do I do that?
After you’ve spent some time reflecting, get a pen and paper and start brainstorming your family goals! You can set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals.
To get you started, we’ve taken some of the top resolutions that people set and have included some suggestions as to how to integrate them into your family life.
1. Be active.
Physical activity improves cardiorespiratory fitness, builds strong bones and muscles, helps control weight, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and reduces the risk of certain health conditions, per the CDC!
- Get outdoors three times a week – sledding, skating, skiing, winter hiking, or just a walk around the neighborhood. The fresh air and sunshine are mood-boosters!
- Plan a fun cardio activity for the days you’re indoors – like “Just Dance” or “Zumba”
- Visit open gym or swim at a local health club, “Ninja Gym” or other sports dome or gymnasium
- Visit a new state park every month
- Participate in a family 5K
- Participate in an outdoor challenge, like the 1,000 hours outdoors challenge
2. Build your village.
Stable, healthy friendships are crucial for our well-being and longevity. The APA (American Psychological Association) says that people who have friends and close confidants are most satisfied with their lives and less likely to suffer from depression. There are also physical benefits, being less susceptible to things such as heart problems and chronic disease. (Source.) Not only that, but it takes a village to raise a child!
- Plan a play date once a week
- Invite family or friends over once a month
- Drop off a meal for a friend
- Exchange babysitting services with friends so you both can get a night off
- Write a card or draw a picture for a family member or friend
3. Learn together.
“During childhood people develop a foundation for lifelong learning…family members play a vital role in helping children develop a joy for learning, and an understanding that learning is a process, something that all children and adults do, all their lives.” J.H. Falk & L.D. Dierking
- Read aloud books as a family – make it a goal to read through 12 or even 24 books together in the new year! Audio books are a great resource for this, and even young children can absorb the vocabulary and story line.
- Watch an educational show together – a documentary about animals is often a good choice for young children!
- Learn a new skill together – frosting cupcakes, playing chess or a new board game, painting or doodling, yoga, geocaching, sourdough breadmaking, exploring family history
- Learn a new language as a family!
- Take a family field trip once a month (art museums, history museums, etc)
4. Family meals.
The Family Dinner Project took three decades of research and found that regular family meals offered a wide variety of physical, social-emotional and academic benefits! They go on to say, “While some of these benefits can be gained through other activities, eating together is the only single activity that is known to provide all of them at the same time.” (Source.)
- Have a sit-down family meal together (set a goal of three, four or even five times a week!)
- Clean up together after meals – as a family! Caring for your home together can build connections! Young children love to help get their hands in the soapy water to wash dishes or wipe down the table!
- Cook a meal together (try a new recipe or a classic!)
- Introduce one new food to your family every week
- Incorporate one new healthy food into your family’s routine. For example, a nutrient-packed breakfast smoothie
- Stop buying juice and carbonated beverages; instead, up your family’s water intake and opt for whole fruits rather than juice
- Get two servings of fruits and two servings of veggies every day
5. Prioritize family.
Strong family ties are essential to our wellbeing. Kimberly Nelson at University Health says that it builds strong emotional ties, improves academic performance, creates self-confidence, teaches about conflict resolution and problem solving, creates a strong sense of self-identity and more. (Source.)
- Put your phone on “do not disturb” or even better, leave it in another room while you’re spending time with loved ones
- Plan regular parent-child (one-on-one) dates
- Plan regular family game nights
- Reduce screen time – consider going screen free once or twice a week and instead choose lots of open-ended play time! (Blocks, legos, fort-building, etc.)
- Keep a family gratitude jar
- Designate one family member a week to plan an activity for the whole family to do together
- Know the love language of each person in your family – and intentionally and regularly “speak” their language
6. Declutter.
Our happiness doesn’t come from what we own. (Source.) In addition, clutter in the home environment affects mental health. (Source.) These are lifelong lessons that we want our children to understand and we can help them create healthy habits at a young age.
- Practice a 15 or 30 minute clean up every evening before bedtime
- Pick one area to declutter every week
- Have your child participate regularly in the care of their home environment: they often enjoy dusting, washing windows, folding clothes, etc.
- Overflowing toy bins and cubbies? Fill a box or garbage bag with items that are often overlooked but in good-condition and donate
- Children love order. Yes, they truly do! But when their spaces become cluttered with too much, it becomes impossible for them to maintain. Set out a limited number of clothing and toys in their spaces and have a place for everything. Put everything you don’t have a place for in a box and put it in storage. After a designated time, if you haven’t used the items in storage, consider rehoming/donating them.
7. Save.
A Purdue University study found that children establish financial habits by the age of seven! They are watching and learning from their parents, so how can we help them learn healthy financial habits?
- Skip ordering from a coffee shop, picking up take-out or eating out for dinner and instead put that money towards a family vacation!
- Set a pay-off goal for a debt. Make a chart and have your child help check off each step towards meeting the goal.
- Set a weekly allowance for your child and assign them responsibilities according to their age/development. When you give your child their allowance, teach them to put it in three different jars: one for spending, one for saving and one for “sharing”. Some institutions recommend 50% towards spending, 40% towards saving and 10% towards sharing!
- Consider gifting experiences rather than things for birthdays and other events; while not always “thrifty”, experiences build memories and time together, and are usually a better investment in the long run.
8. Have fun.
Last, remember that goal setting should not be a burden, but should contribute to overall health and happiness of your family!
From all of us at Sonnet Montessori School and Child Care, we wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
