Let’s talk goals. Goals is a buzzword that is constantly plastered all over social media and touted in the media. We tend to think about it in our personal lives. Health goals, professional goals, pregnancy goals, house goals, relationship goals, etc. Whew! Since when did we need so many goals?! What about family goals? Shouldn’t we focus on family relationship goals too? That is for sure something that I can strive for.
If you are reading this, I’m certain that you deeply care about family life. Your family is probably the center of your world. Which means you also likely know how exhausting it can be trying to check all the boxes in your personal life and with your family. Why not transition some of your individual goals into a common goal with your whole family? Talk about accountability! Setting goals as a family can be a great way to better yourself and spend time with your tribe.
Family Goals Ideas
In this post I’ll share some realistic, smart goals for your family to get you started. Consider how each short term or long term goal idea ideas could benefit your family. We don’t have to get too crazy with our family goals. After all, the quality time is really the whole point of this. So start small and build when you’re ready!
A. Family Health Goals:
1. Take family walks at least once per week
Family walks are the perfect way to connect. Suggestion: leave the technology at home. I have a teenager…I know how quality quality time can be when screen time takes over! Assure them that their video game will still be there when you get back. Your Monday-Friday might be crazy busy between work and extracurricular activities. By the time everyone is home together, it may be dark. That’s why we like to take our walks in the morning on the weekend. Our favorite place to go is a nature center, but even a walk around your neighborhood would benefit everyone. It’s truly one of my most loved parts of the week, and begins our day in a positive way. Of course, take your pups with you if you have any. They’re part of the family too!
2. Taking supplements
Taking supplements such as vitamins and probiotics is a habit that you should practice to keep yourself healthy. But don’t do it alone. There are so many supplements that can benefit everyone in your family. Make it a part of your morning routine that you do together as a family! I’m not kidding though, there are really a ton of options when it comes to supplements. You can read about my favorites in a past post here.
3. Eating healthy
Remember when I said that personal goals can turn into family goals? This is a great example. I’m sure that most of us try to (or want to) eat healthy. Make it a family affair! Food is a fun way to bring the family together. Plan out your weekly meals, grocery shop, and even cook together! You can take it one step further by planting a family garden together so you’ll have healthy ingredients on hand whenever you need them. Your healthy habits will translate into your children’s healthy habits.
4. Drinking water regularly
I am a huge advocate of drinking plenty of water throughout the day. The benefits are great, (it’s pretty much the only thing I drink these days) and my kids are excellent water drinkers as well. I totally get that drinking enough water every day can seem impossible, especially if you are working all day. If we struggle with it as adults, imagine how many children are not getting enough water. You can aim for the classic “eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day” or simply aim to drink more water throughout the day.
I suggest carrying a water bottle with you everywhere you go. This one is so fun because it tracks your daily intake, and you only need to fill it up twice each day to meet your goal!
If you’re thinking: Angela, I wish there were a way to make drinking water a little more exciting, then I have your answer. Make it a friendly competition! You can create a water goal chart to keep on the fridge, or somewhere else that is readily accessible. Every week, have a family content to see who meets their daily water goals. Of course it’s always fun to have a small prize for the winner!
B. Educational Goals
1. Museums
Have you been to a museum lately? They tend to be one of those places that we have in our own backyard and forget to take advantage of. Everyone in our family has such a good time when we visit museums together. It’s always a great way to secretly slip in some education and valuable life skills. Recently, we went to the Natural History Museum in LA. Who doesn’t love dinosaurs?! You can learn more about a few of our favorite museums, and more family-friendly things to do in LA, in this post.
2. Educational Movies:
Of course movies are a hit with my whole crew. We love to stay at home and cozy up to an educational movie about planets, animals, space, etc. There is an age gap between my children, so it’s not always easy to pick a movie that everyone is happy with. The subjects I mentioned above please everyone. Netflix has the best choices for these kinds of movies!
3. Puzzles:
We love puzzles in our house, especially on a rainy or lazy day. This is another activity that works for all age groups. It also helps with problem solving, spacial awareness, and teamwork. Not to mention, it’s so satisfying when you place that last piece down!
4. Books:
Whether you have a family of readers or want to encourage your kids to read more, reading together is a great way to get closer as a family. If you have younger kids, set aside time when you can to read together. Families with older kids can form a family book club of sorts where you read the same book and then talk about it together.
C. Family Time
1. Travel
It’s no secret that we love to travel (I do have a whole section on my blog on the topic after all!). My favorite way to travel is as a whole family. There’s something about getting away, even if only for a weekend, that really brings us together and makes us feel like a whole family unit. Most trips that we go on allows all family members to choose an activity that they love. You can read about some of our favorite family trips here.
2. Board Games
Oh, how Friday nights have changed since before my husband and I had kids! I’m not going to lie though, staying in spending quality time with family is my new favorite Friday night. Board games are such as classic way of capturing family time and I love that family game night has become a regular part of our lives. Plus, staying in and having fun together at home is great for saving money.
3. Going to the Movie Theatre
While we do love our stay at home family nights, it’s always fun to get out and go to the movie theatre once in awhile. Making it a family goal to go to the movies once per month would be a crowd pleaser!
What are your family goals?
So, there you have it friends- some tangible ideas for family goals. To get everyone on board, have a family meeting to set your goals by month or by week. You will score more quality time together, and also show your children the importance of goal setting. I’d love to hear your family goals as well. Please share in the comments below!
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