The New Year is the time for resolutions, typically involving new healthy diets and exercise goals, which may or may not quite pan out. Yet, we still choose to make them as we reflect on the year that has passed and renew our commitment in reaching our goals in the year that is to come.

Our family is an extended version of our individual selves, putting down a couple of resolutions, as a family, helps us work and move together in the New Year. Opening the discussion as a family also give everyone a chance to hear the goals from other members and perhaps, understand them just a little more.

Here, we suggest 8 family resolutions which you could include in 2019!

1. Get Outside More
For so many reasons, getting out of an air-conditioned building and away from the concrete jungle is beneficial to the young and the old. The good thing is it needn’t be far or even inconvenient. We have many parks here where most are easily accessible via the MRT. Take a monthly or weekly walk as a family or look out for regular events and activities organised in these parks.

2. Create A New Memory
A new memory could be trying out something new together or going to a new place. It could be anything but the idea is to try out something as a group, as a family. It bonds everyone together since everyone would be trying it out together for the first time. For example, it could be to bake Grandma’s 70th birthday cake from scratch, to build a toy house together, to volunteer on a weekend or re-design the living room.

3. Create A Fun Family Picture Together
We’re in the selfie era. Instead of filling our phone’s memory of just of the kids or pictures of food, how about creating a fun family picture with every family member in it. Not the stuffy studio picture that you take when someone graduates but capture a fun one that makes you laugh out loud when scrolling through your album!

4. Take Responsibility for the House
A home is retreat for every family member and everyone can be responsible or contribute as being part of the family. Young kids can be responsible for their pets or their toys and older ones can take on household chores.

5. Start A Family Tradition
Most families probably already have this one, although you can always add new traditions. For example, have family dinners once a week, take a family vacation once a year, have a monthly movie or game night and read together. Every adult can read children’s books and should also show an interest in what their children are reading. Or if your family needs to eat healthier, perhaps you could add “eat a new vegetable dish every Friday”.

6. Express Love and Show Affection
It’s easy to fall into habits of mumbling a quick “good night” or “bye” and not even looking up from your screen, especially with loved ones. Maybe make it a resolution to do this better this year. Be more generous with hugs and kisses and make it a point to wish each other “good morning”, “good night” or farewell with a hug or a kiss. In fact, this could make their day all the more better, just because every now and then, we all need a reminder that we are loved.

7. Cut Down on Unnecessary Spendings
You can make the conscious effort to save money together by looking at household expenditure and start paring down. For example, it could be to keep a spending cap on birthday gifts, buying less unnecessary items eg. clothes. This could also help children to care more for their clothes and shoes and try to fix them before chucking them away.

8. Be Environmentally Responsible
How are you using energy and water in your home? Saving energy and deciding to use less air-conditioning and turning off the lights in the room, also helps you in Resolution #7. Most estates also have a recycle bin close by where you could also sort your trash into paper and plastics. Making such decisions as a family also help to start your children from young on consciously weighing in on their actions and measuring their impact on the environment.

Resolutions doesn’t have to include big goals. You can always start small and build on it. After all, your family is for your lifetime so you’ll have plenty of time to achieve the big goals in future. Having resolutions also provide hope and help everyone grow together in a family. So start yours today!