Setting goals and intentions together as a family can be a great way to strengthen family bonds and to help each other grow – and it can be fun!
Research also shows that a child’s belief in their ability to reach goals plays an important role in developing optimism.
Here we share some tips on how to set goals and intentions as a family, even if your children are still young.
Align goals to values
Before committing to a goal, get clear on what you collectively value as a family. If you value free, unstructured time, a goal that will create more structure and time commitments might not be the best choice.
Let Everyone Contribute
Decide ahead of time how many goals you want to commit to as a family – less is often more!
Have an open discussion with all family members and try to facilitate rather than dictate what you include in your goals.
Repeat each suggestion and write it down – this helps everyone feel heard. If it’s necessary to whittle down the list, a simple vote on each option can work well.
Create an Action Plan
There’s a common saying that ‘a goal without a deadline is just a wish’. For each goal, set a date by which you’ll achieve it. Then talk through some of the practical steps to take to achieve it.
A shared goals calendar can be a useful tool here. Once you have a list of steps to take and who will do what, put those actions in the calendar. Review it regularly!
Consider Habits / Intentions
You can also think about any shared or individual habits you want to start or stop doing. Write a list of these and put it somewhere prominent as a reminder.
Setting Goals & Intentions as a Family Inspo
Short on inspiration? Try some of these ideas to get the conversation started…
- Save up for a family holiday
- Start a veggie garden and eat more greens
- Have a weekly family games or movie night
- Commit to device-free mealtimes
- Divide household chores
- Take a walk before or after dinner a certain number of times per week
- Volunteer with a charity as a family
- Read for at least 20 minutes per day
- Practice daily gratitude
- Write a card of thank you or appreciation every week
Introduce weekly or monthly family meetings to review your goals and intentions