Most people are inspired by the start of a new year. It seems like the perfect time to renew your personal goals! But while most New Year’s resolutions are generally self-focused, parents should consider their children and family unit in their new resolutions.
Children should benefit from their parents’ New Year’s resolutions. And while weight loss, more money, and better personal habits can benefit children, there are a few new rhythms that every family should incorporate.
What Are Family Rhythms?
Family rhythms are a predictable structure for how your family operates. Do you do Taco Tuesdays, baths before every bedtime, or a pizza and movie night on Fridays? How does your family dole out chores, homework requirements, or consequences for poor choices? These family rhythms build the culture of your home, cultivate your child’s morals, and create the memories of your child’s childhood.
Why Are Family Rhythms Important?
Family rhythms give children a sense of peace and security. If parents are never consistent in parenting, children can become anxious and troubled. This often exhibits itself as tantrums, misbehaving, and pushing the boundaries of every parental decision.
On the other hand, when parents stay consistent in their decisions, discipline, and scheduling, children feel safe and secure, knowing that their lives are predictable. Children living under consistent parenting sleep better, have better social skills, and are generally healthier.
What Are Good Family Rhythms?
Since every family will have different values for their children, it’s impossible to include an exhaustive list of beneficial family rhythms. However, here are some family rhythms that every family can incorporate.
Family Dinners
Eating together as a family dramatically impacts the family unit. When families eat together, children have better academic performance, vocabulary, and a greater sense of self-worth and resilience. The risk of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, depression, eating disorders, and obesity drastically decreases. Children and adults have better health due to eating healthier foods.
Get off your phone, fix a meal together, and talk together regularly while enjoying dinner.
Designated Family Time
School, music lessons, sports, and work can pull a family in all different directions. Parents should vigilantly protect a designated time during the week for quality family time. This could be anything your family enjoys, like a bike ride, playing a board game, working a puzzle, or taking a walk around the neighborhood. No screens–just you and your kids.
Reading Together
Reading together is one of the easiest and more beneficial rhythms parents can incorporate into their daily or weekly lives. Children who are regularly read to have higher academic performance, larger vocabularies, longer attention spans, better listening skills, have stronger relational bonds, and so much more. Whether it’s a story before bed or a chapter book that takes a few weeks to finish, reading with your child is something you’ll never regret.
Weekly or Monthly Activities
Kids love repetition, so weekly or monthly activities give them something to look forward to. Whether it’s Taco Tuesday, pizza and movie Friday, or ice cream Sunday, there are dozens of ways to incorporate fun and easy activities. Get creative with your family’s personal interests. Maybe you go to the library every Monday, take a monthly zoo trip, or celebrate their half-birthday with a special treat.
Grow Your Family Rhythms Over Time
Family rhythms change almost yearly to fit the needs of your growing family. Family rhythms don’t stay stagnant, and that’s ok!
Take a yearly evaluation of your family. See what works and what doesn’t. Incorporate new activities or rhythms. Push your kids (and yourself!) to try new things. See how you can help the community, or get involved in a worthwhile cause.
Deciding family rhythms is a big responsibility, but it’s a privilege. These precious years with your kids are helping to shape the next generation. Let’s not waste our influence!