There’s a lot of talk about resolutions this time of year.
We create lists of ways to improve our lives, making note of things we hope to change in the year ahead. It absolutely can be helpful to set thoughtful, positive goals when moving into a new year, though if our resolutions don’t go as planned, we often make the mistake of framing difficulty as failure. As parents, we face a constant onslaught of variables while holding the responsibility to demonstrate for our children how to navigate setbacks, how to intentionally work toward goals, and how to care for ourselves and others.
Positive Energy
This new year, we’re trying a positivity jar. The goal of this creation is to inspire new experiences, encourage growth and remind ourselves of how awesome we already are. To make your own positivity jar, ask each member of your family to write down four things they’re grateful for, four kind words or thoughts about themselves, and four things they’d like to put more energy toward. If you follow this 4-4-4 practice, you’ll start with 12 pieces of paper and be set for about three months. Fold the papers and put them in a jar—kudos if you use a recycled container. Let each member of your family decorate their jar to reflect their own unique personality. Easy ways to decorate are paint, bedazzling with sequins and glitter, or covering in stickers. We added a few crystals that we bought from The Plant Witch in Harrisburg to our jars to attract positive energy.
Pick a day of the week to reap the benefits of your hard work. My family picked Tuesday to be “Positivity Jar Day,” and we each pull a paper out of our jars then share our goals or mantras out loud. Sharing can bring families closer together, creating a group sense of accountability and growth. When you run out of papers, have fun writing new, timely statements to keep your jar relevant and brimming with optimism year-round.
Active Fun
One of my goals is to improve my reflexes, or in other words, get better at beating my kid at sports. Unfortunately, the best way to work toward my goal is practice.
We parents can probably agree that it’s an uphill battle to stay active in the winter. By the time my kid gets off the bus, there’s only about an hour of daylight left. But I have a goal to achieve, so I made a pact with my kid that we’d spend at least half of that hour outside, bundled up and playing badminton.
I use the term badminton loosely—it’s more like a combination of tennis and badminton or, occasionally, even baseball and volleyball. We took $15 to the thrift store and bought random sports equipment, and now we combine it in ways that are fun to us, though probably not correct. Our games get so outrageous that we spend most of the time chasing rogue balls or trying to breathe through our laughter. We’re always able to push ourselves and work up a good sweat, improving skills and bonding over physical activity. My 8-year-old cares deeply about the score, but the point isn’t to win (except maybe just once), it’s to accomplish our daily goal of going outside and playing together. It’s a wonderful and simple way to demonstrate setting achievable commitments and sticking to them.
Craft Kits
When the sun sets, pivot to putting energy toward giving back to the community.
Caitlin’s Smiles is a regional nonprofit that distributes art supplies to hospitalized children. People of all ages can volunteer by helping to assemble craft kits for kids. Many children can relate to and understand the joy of being creative. Caitlin’s Smiles seeks to empower children in hospitals to have the opportunity for arts and self-expression, and your family can be part of that effort. Putting together craft kits for kids is a fantastic way for your family to connect while making a positive impact on the lives of other children. Volunteers sign up for two-hour time slots that are varied to accommodate differing schedules. If your family requires unique hours or if you have a group of five or more, reach out to the organizers via their website.
As caregivers, parents and friends, we hold the opportunity to be our children’s greatest teachers. Demonstrating healthy goal setting and positive self-talk, carving out time to be outside and play, and caring for and helping others are beautiful lessons to integrate into our goals for this year and wonderful lifelong values to instill in this new generation of people we’re raising.
Cheers to a new year and the privilege to continue learning and having fun, growing families and community here in central PA.
To learn more about Caitlin’s Smiles, visit www.caitlins-smiles.org.
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