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All About the Team in 2018

30 Achievable Resolutions for your Family to Score Big in the New Year

By Amy Brazda

 

At the end of October, the Astros scored big for H-Town and brought the city its first World Series victory. The joy of that winning season will linger into the New Year, filling all Houstonians with a huge sense of accomplishment in achieving the team’s goal of winning the championship back when the season began. The same goal-driven spirit should be in play for “your team,” your family, for 2018.

Resolutions created by your family are firm decisions and goals to accomplish (or not). In the New Year, many families will make resolutions that are not attainable, that will not score them the home run, but instead, impose the strikeout, even by just the second week of January. Achievable goals that are long-lasting are ones that involve the whole team’s taking ownership, communicating, understanding expectations, and being optimistic at all times for those goals to be reached.

Every member of the family team has to show commitment, dedication, and perseverance. As the coaches, parents must strive to be the team’s role models in guiding, inspiring, and motivating the family to ensure success, and all family players must make efforts to do their part in being aware of their positions on the team in order to create a strong and unified bond.

So, batter up! Get out of the dugout and put those rally caps on. Make some resolutions that are achievable–not too big, not too small, to allow your family team a healthy, happy championship year in 2018!

 

  1. Your team will win if everyone feels loved. The #1 resolution should be to verbalize an “I love you!” every single day to every single member of the family, and resolve to show more affection. Give hugs and high-fives regularly!
  2. Use personal communication. Talk to family members face-to-face. Especially for your middle and high schoolers, set new rules (if not already in place) to put down cell phones and speak and listen to “the team.”
  3. Have team dinners. Most families have crazy schedules of coming home from school late, extracurriculars, or parents’ late work hours. However, find at least one night when the whole family comes together to enjoy a meal…maybe Sunday evenings when the week comes to an end, so information about the week can be shared.
  4. At this dinner, complete resolution #2: Put all electronic devices away, unplug the landline, and turn off the television. Do not sit around the TV; sit around a table so while eating, communication and listening is promoted.
  5. Cook dinner! Resolve not to eat out as much as in 2017. Eating out for celebrations is fun, but teaching family members the ins and outs of the kitchen and how to prepare meals will truly benefit your team. Not only will you be saving money, but you will also be learning culinary skills that are useful at any age.
  6. Bake! Cupcakes and macarons are all the rage, and trying to make them together will be a fun activity, along with making and decorating cookies that can be given to friends and neighbors. Younger family members can feel joy in making something edible for themselves and giving to others.
  7. Prepare more nutritious snacks and meals. Throwing out your stash of Halloween candies or not allowing the team some fast food (occasionally) will not work; however, you can make better food choices. Eat more fruits and healthy snacks, and choose lean meats and incorporate more salads and veggies in dinners.
  8. Your team needs to drink more H2O! Eliminate juice boxes that are not 100% juice for the young. For the athletic family members, do not purchase highly-sugared sports drinks…resolve to cut those out completely.
  9. Buy vitamins. It’s is an easy way to help boost family members’ health, from the youngest, who need chewables, to older kids who require specific supplements. Listening to your doctor, plus playing your part in choosing and partaking in a vitamin regimen, will ensure good health.
  10. Become more active. This doesn’t mean buying the team a fancy gym membership or going to the country club. Get the team together and take a bike ride; go the the neighborhood park and hold a family flag football or soccer game; hit the tennis ball around on a court; or take a jog (pets in tow).
  11. If you are not into group sporting, just walk! Walk more in 2018. Park farther away at the mall, take the stairs, walk around the track after school, get on a treadmill… just walk!
  12. Get together with extended family. All the cousins may be at different ages and have varying schedules, but make sure to spend time with them as much as possible. Younger cousins can end up playing together so often that they become “best friends,” and memories of time together will be cherished.
  13. Visit grandparents as much as possible. This is a game-changer. Grandparents are the source of “all good” for your team. They are the wise, most beloved players on your roster. They will give all affection needed, plus materialistic things, if desired. They have the ability to transform frowns into smiles in mere seconds and with just one hug!
  14. Call friends you have not spoken with in a while. Many Houstonians caught up with old friends during Harvey to check on their well-being. Continue those friendships and make them even stronger by speaking by phone or facetiming on a regular basis.
  15. All family members need to resolve to make time for themselves. Each needs solitary time, even if just 15 minutes a day, to relax.
  16. Make time for each other as a unit, the whole family together. Plan at least one family outing per month to spark curiosity, have adventures, and see new places in our city. Think museums, parks, amusement-type locales, and special family events hosted by Houston Family Magazine!
  17. Many “day trips” are within just an hour’s drive from Houston. Resolve to go with the family to Galveston, Old Town Spring, or Brenham. A bit farther, but worth the trip, are Waco or Austin. Time in the car without watching any videos, but talking on the drive and seeing the landscape will alleviate job and school stress and build team camaraderie.
  18. Make a goal to read more. All family members will benefit from better comprehension, strengthening vocabulary, allowing the stories in the books to improve creativity and imaginations, and mostly, just enjoying the fun and relaxation. Go to the bookstore and purchase different items to read–comics, magazines, educational workbooks to improve grades, self-help books, travel guides, and any reading material to make your team more insightful and knowledgeable.
  19. Resolve to write more. Shut down the computers, take out pens, pencils, and fun stationery. Write notes of encouragement to family members taking tests or wishing them luck at their sports games. Write to grandparents, send cards to out-of-town family and friends just to say “hello,” or send cards to those who may be ill to cheer them up. Put funny notes in lunch bags, suitcases, or on pillows to create more happiness on your team.
  20. Specifically, write more thank-you notes! Thank the special people in your life, from bank tellers you may see weekly to teachers, coaches, mailpersons, office staff and coworkers, salon staff, doctors, dentists, vets, and school bus drivers. Thank them for their time and effort, as well as their commitment to your family.
  21. Make lists. This is a great achievable resolution if you have never tried before. How many times do you attempt your errands and forget some? Make a list and, hopefully, you can cut down on that problem. At the grocery store, stick to only items “on” the list to avoid buying the candy and unhealthy foods just calling your name at checkout.
  22. Take up a new hobby in the New Year: art, athletics, quilting, baking, collecting, building, anything to help grow your imagination and improve fine motor skills and to enjoy the thrill of becoming proficient at a new task.
  23. Volunteer as a team. Take the whole family and complete a project together. Volunteering will bolster team confidence and pride. Helping and giving to others will make all feel wonderful.
  24. Be more aware of those around you. Our world has now become a place full of the unknown at any moment, in any place, in any time, in broad daylight and at night, negative things are taking place. Do not be afraid to speak up or call for help if you feel strangely about someone around you or a possible incident that may be about to occur. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
  25. “Pay it forward”. Buy the car behind you in in the drive-thru line a small item, like a shake, coffee, smoothie, or kids’ meal. It is always a fun and kind thing to do!
  26. Support charities or great organizations in the New Year. Buy Girl Scout cookies for your team; participate in a Special Olympics event; give a donation to the Houston Food Bank; work a shift to solicit food for Souper Bowl of Caring at a grocery store; do a walk or run to raise monies for Easter Seals, diabetes or cancer organizations; or go to a “build” for Habitat for Humanity.
  27. Resolve to be on time. Being perpetually late implies that your time is more important than the people you are meeting. It is important for kids to arrive to school on time so no information at the beginning of class is lost. Punctuality when meeting someone for an appointment or job is most essential to show responsibility.
  28. Give one item to a homeless person. Pack a brown bag lunch, or buy him or her an ice cream cone, coffee, or cold drink, depending on weather, or draw him or her a nice picture. Always use caution, but through your vehicle’s window, hand them a small gift or card at holiday time. The homeless of Houston need our care and attention.
  29. Resolve to laugh more in 2018. Try to make light of negative situations and find the positive in everything. Be a cheerleader for all those on your team and support them wholeheartedly in all their endeavors–school, work, anything that they perceive is important to them.
  30. Try your best in all resolutions above…that is all you can hope for to promote team success!

 

Achieving attainable goals in the New Year will bring your family team much love and happiness on a daily basis. Stick to the things that matter most so no curveballs will throw your team off track. Practice hard, do not give up, so small victories and accomplishments will allow for a winning year. Good luck!

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