An important ingredient for balancing a good career and family life is time management. Working parents should start mastering work-life balance early and at every opportunity. One of the best times to do this is at the start of a new year when the mindset is refreshed. Check out these 10 new year’s resolutions that can help your family grow closer and better!
You might wonder, isn’t it too early for you to be thinking of spending more time with your family? After all, you are still planning to settle into a new house or still saving up to get a new condominium uptown. Well, time flies fast especially if you are busy. Consider it a gift to your spouse and kids to make sure the next year will be filled with family time!
#1 Regular Family Dates
Make regular family dates a non-negotiable bonding activity. You can go on a road trip or just simply stay at home with everyone. All that matters is that you are spending quality time with your family. As much as possible, there should be no work-related thoughts in mind.
This is also a great way to teach your kids about the value of time spent with family.
#2 Eating Together
A study from the University of Florida found that eating together as a family nurtures children to become healthy and well-rounded adults.
Make it a family habit to eat at least one meal with everyone on a daily basis. You and your spouse can better monitor what your kids eat. You can also ensure everyone is eating on time and not skipping meals. Finally, you can provide that sense of security and support to everyone by simply being present with them.
#3 Weekend Movie Nights
Stay at home weekends couldn’t be cozier without freshly cooked popcorn and a good movie that everyone will enjoy. Kids better appreciate superhero and fantasy movies if they get to watch it with their parents. Imagine breaking down the plot of the movie with your kids and helping them realize the moral of the story. That’s priceless, right?
It’s does not cost much and you can do it every weekend if you want!
#4 Playing Family Sports
Kids who excel in sports usually pick up their skills from their parents. If you haven’t already, try to set regular sports activities with your family. Through this, you can encourage an active lifestyle and a good grasp of sportsmanship. Who knows, you might even raise the next Hidilyn Diaz or LeBron James.
#5 Doing Chores Together
Hit two birds with one stone by having your family bond over household chores. Who said that cleaning the house or washing the dishes is no fun? It all depends on how well you can engage everyone the family. You can even give prizes or rewards to those who can finish their work early.
More importantly, doing chores can teach kids to be responsible and accountable adults. They learn how to clean up after their mess.
#6 Talk More, Scroll Less
When you have down time from work, encourage conversations in the family as much as you can. During these days, it’s so easy to spend the whole day scrolling through social media or playing games. Too much screen time is bad for you and your kid’s eyesight. Why not spend time talking to each other instead?
#7 Attend Mass on Sundays
If you are a Catholic family, attending Sunday masses together is a great way to lead your kids and spouse to spirituality. You can even have a mini group sharing with everyone to reflect on what he or she learned from the homily.
Note, kids consider their parents as role models even in understanding their faith. It would be nice to grow together in faith as a family, right?
#8 Regular Calls or Visits to Grandparents or Close Relatives
Call or visit grandparents or close relatives to feel more connected with your bigger family. Of course your parents or relatives would love to know how your family is doing. They would even love it more if they get to regularly bond with your little ones.
Give your kids that opportunity to establish strong bonds with their grandparents. The experience would give them invaluable wisdom and support. It could even remind you of your childhood every once in a while.
#9 Start a Family Garden
If you have the space, you can start growing vegetables and fruits in your garden. Involve your whole family so your kids can be motivated to eat vegetables they grew. Having your own family garden can also reduce your exposure to pesticides used in store-brought vegetables.
These days, family gardens can be a therapeutic hobby for busy parents too!
#10 Regular Holiday Vacations
Everyone anticipates holiday vacations and getaways. Try to have at least one holiday vacation with the family per year. Explore the beautiful tourist spots in the Philippines or in the world. It helps you take your mind off work. It also makes kids appreciate culture better.
If you have the luxury of time and resources, have more than one family vacation. After all, you work hard to enjoy the beautiful things in life. Make it a habit to prioritize that, together with your family.
What You Should Keep in Mind
These family new year’s resolutions are suggestions for you to better balance work and life relationships. If you already have great family habits that work well, then stick to that. But keep an open mind to exploring more ways to grow with your family.
You do not have to start on all these ten resolutions at the same time. In fact, it’s best to pick a minimum of three resolutions. Or maybe a number that you and your family are comfortable with. What matters is your commitment to keep doing these resolutions until they become a habit.
From Property Access Philippines, may you and your family have a wonderful New Year ahead!
Sources:
35 Family New Year’s Resolution Ideas. (2015). Retrieved December 19, 2021, from Gathered Again website: https://gatheredagain.com/35-family-new-years-resolution-ideas/