Improve family relationships by setting family goals
Another year is here with so many opportunities for family growth as families that set goals together tend to be successful. Your family’s success is the most important goal you can set if you think deeply about it. Each family is different, so if you decide to make new family goals, take into consideration needs of the family members. We share our suggestions for making that will bring harmony, joy, strength, and memories.
Set Up A Meeting
Have a goal setting gathering with your loved ones. Here you can get suggestions from each person on things they would like to see to improve family relationships. Consider that responses from adults and teens will be more comprehensive than those from young children. But, do include all suggestions from those who are old enough to understand what a goal is. Using the free SODAS worksheet will make deciding on family goals much easier as it will help you work through the positives and negatives of each goal.
Make It Fun
Make goal setting a fun and enjoyable activity. Otherwise, some of the family members will start disappearing or complain about being there. Family members are more likely to work on a goal if they feel their input is valued. From the suggestions made by the family members, write down a list of possible family goals. Then whittle it down to a shorter list that everyone agrees on.
Mission Statement
It would be most helpful to come up with a mission statement for the year and make a poster or banner. Then put it in a place where the family can see it often, probably on the fridge or bathroom mirror.
Give Incentives
Ask for incentives to reward everyone for reaching the goals by the end of the year. Also, ask for suggestions regarding how to track progress made. Parents can teach children and teens responsibility and tracking skills by delegating this important effort to them. Consider if the goal is measurable so it can be tracked.
Decide as a family how to reward progress on the goals that were made to keep the momentum going. This could be monetary, a favorite treat, an outing, a vacation, or other desirable expectation for everyone concerned.
Suggestions for the goals could include:
- Taking a family portrait to hang on the wall
- Eat together as a family at least once a week
- Improve communication skills in the family including keeping voice calm
- Be more aware of and kind to all family members
- Prioritize activities to spend more family time together
- Plan family fun days to play and relax together
- Pursue a hobby or new skill
- Encourage healthy eating and drinking more water
- Exercise together by walking, dancing or sports – move more
- Limit screen time – set a schedule for computer and video games
- Read more by creating a book nook and read to each other
- Make a budget and spend less money on stuff – minimize
- Save money for a common expenditure
- Pay off family debts
- Include each person in meal preparation and cleanup
- Try to make each other happier by doing service for them
- Forgive quickly and make amends
- Conquer a fear together
- Make good friends and introduce them to your family
- Share positive experiences regularly
- Be more patient with each other
- Work on making the home a peaceful place
- Play uplifting music in the home
- Take time to meditate and renew the mind
- Break a bad habit
- Work smarter, not harder
- Control your temper better
- Get enough sleep every night or nap when possible
- Have dates with the kids individually
- Spend quality time together
- Give service to a neighbor or worthy cause
- Work on good manners
- Donate unused clothes and toys
- Call or visit the elderly in your family often
- Make a safety plan for emergencies
- Explore somewhere new together
- Less complaining, show more gratitude
Choose Just Five Goals
I am sure there are several more goals that you or your family members can come up with. No suggestion should be disregarded. Write all ideas down and when it comes to choosing just five, you may then need to discuss the benefits and vote on them. This can teach children valuable lessons about ethics and making wise choices.
Remember, the goals that are chosen should benefit everyone involved. Also, they should be achievable within a year’s time. Getting your children involved in goal setting gives your family a chance to grow closer together.
Not to overwhelm or discourage anyone, the five goals should be realistic and achievable for all ages, some with help from the parents. Become a family with a purpose!
Regular Monitoring
Set aside time regularly to track progress. Monitor how everyone is doing on their attempts to achieve the family goals. Keep a calendar where everyone sees it and next to it a list of the five goals that you are all working on. One family member could be in charge of getting reports, or the individuals could report on themselves, depending on their age.
Just think how satisfying it will be to reach family goals as a team. Focus on the goals with good intentions. No one is perfect, so when you flub up, get back up and try again. Children and teens may need pep talks every so often. Achieving goals together as a family builds confidence and makes great memories. It also creates a pattern for the children when they raise their own families.</p