Teaching your child the value of setting goals takes confidence, and it needs to come from you. We often share the importance of creating objectives and working together as a team, but here’s something we like working on with the kids: setting family goals.
Our children are getting older and have a better understanding of the world around them. It’s a critical time in their lives to learn things we didn’t know at their age.
With a curious school grader who has been asking questions about life in general, we knew it was time to focus on other important topics. Conversations about planning ahead will help build his future and his way of thinking.
As parents of multiple children, setting family goals has become a favorite yearly tradition for us. Also, focusing on tasks the kids can accomplish on their own to help reach their dream is valuable at any age.
What Are Family Goals
Planning for a new year can be exciting. One of the key ways we like to bid the old year farewell is by looking back on the things we’ve been able to accomplish as a family.
For us, it’s more than just thinking about financial and personal goals. Creating achievable goals as a family starts with focusing on the things you’d like to get done as a whole.
Breaking down the tasks that need to be done throughout the year to help with our plans is what we consider to be family goals.
There are many ways to start writing down the things you’d like to accomplish the following year. However, it starts by placing your focus on the things you’d like to see in the near future.
Thinking Of Goals That Matter
Whether you’re writing down ideas or thinking of ways to improve old ones, it’s important to understand the end goal.
As a family of three kids and two pups, our goals may look different than yours, and that’s okay. It’s all about focusing on the essentials, for you.
Here are 13 ways you can begin jotting down family goals for the upcoming year:
1. Think of things you need to accomplish.
Starting out with the essentials is always a good idea. This way, you can get to the things you’d like to accomplish as well. Remember, you do what you need to do to get where you want to be.
2. Write down small goals that coincide with the bigger ones.
It’s easy to think of the bigger goals, but it’s hard to cross them off you don’t have a plan of action. Focusing on smaller goals to reach your ultimate one is key to accomplishing more each step of the way.
3. Decide on ways you’ll be tracking your family’s progress.
Whether you’ll be pulling out a notebook or tracking things on a sheet, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on where you are with your family goals. If you’re competitive like us, then this will be perfect for bonding as well.
4. Ask your kids questions about the things they would like to see happen in the upcoming months.
When we’ve asked our kids about the things they’d like to add to our weekly schedule, it’s always been more family time. For us, one of our goals is to focus more on family-friendly activities.
This will allow us to make time for each other, and not have anyone feel left out.
5. Add fun ones, too!
Yes, fun goals do exist. Maybe it’s to travel more by visiting family and friends. Regardless of what those fun ones might look like to your family, it will have to be something everyone can agree on.
6. Set time aside for yourself.
As much as you’d like to spend more time with your family, there should be time for yourself. This way, you can recharge and come back refreshed.
7. Plan to minimize your screentime as a family.
Movie nights are our favorite, but when you do it daily, it takes away the fun of it. Also, you start to run out of options.
Another thing to consider is the amount of screen time your family is consuming. Working on how you control kids screen time and your own will help you rest better at night.
8. Think of extracurricular activities that might be worth trying.
Our kids enjoy playing sports with us, but it’s nothing like playing for a team. We like to encourage the kids to get out there and try something new.
You never know if you’ll find a new hobby. Budgeting yourself will come in handy with activities and equipment.
9. Plan those date nights.
Family time and alone time are two very important things to keep in mind. However, those date nights with your partner are, too.
Making time for your relationship can help you work on communicating the value of working as a team to your kids. For us, we don’t like the idea of hiring a babysitter. What we do is plan at-home date nights when the kids are asleep.
10. Write down ways your family can help around the house more.
There are a variety of kids house chores that can be completed throughout the day. We have the kids help out from time to time, but it makes a difference when it happens consistently.
11. Think of family home projects that can be achieved together.
The kids love talk about painting things around the house. They helped us decide on the color of our home and of the bedrooms.
This year, we’ll be working on a handful of home projects that will require their expertise. We can’t wait to share some on the blog.
It’s amazing how minor changes make a huge difference to your home.
12. Discuss budgeting yourselves.
Our kids have been discussing budgets before they hit preschool. This has always been an important topic for us to talk about with the kids.
By teaching our kids about budgeting, we can help them better manage their money (and our own). There are many ways the kids earn money — birthdays, holidays, and doing chores around the house.
13. Create ideas to stay on top of your health.
Kids learn from their parents about the importance of nourishing our bodies. What we eat impacts how we feel.
Although we do our best to eat healthy around here, it’ll be nice to focus on staying more active this coming year. Outdoor family activities are the best approach.
Questions To Ask When Setting Family Goals
Whenever we plan something that involves the kids, we think of ways they can add their input. Whether it’s a gathering at our home or at someone’s, we do our best to keep them top of mind.
Including the kids in creating ideas to improve your lives together, is something that can help you bond with them.
Here are a handful of questions to ask the kids when writing down ideas together:
- What is your dream job?
- What kind of business would you like to have?
- How much money would you like to save?
- What would you like to do this summer?
- Is there anything you’d like to learn?
- How would you like to leave the world?
- What is your favorite topic at school?
- What makes you happy?
- What would you like to see someday?
- What parts of your life do you enjoy most?