It’s that time again, many of us are setting 2021 goals and intentions. For more years than I can remember I have been setting goals. As a child athlete they started as performance-related goals. During my early adulthood they transitioned to personal development or improvement goals. As a mom and business owner they’ve morphed into a bit of family goals, a bit of business-related goals and still plenty of personal development.
Some of my personal and business goals include adding on to my exercise routine and launching group coaching. I do a great job of getting the dogs and kids out on a walk at least 5 times per week – some days we do so well we get in 14 walks!! But I want to add on something extra to focus on building up my strength and flexibility. I don’t know about you but the closer I get to 40, the older I feel and I am fairly certain more fluid movement (as comes with improved flexibility) would help with that. Now onto the fun stuff, the family goals.
Henry is nearing 18 months which is a notorious time for developing more restrictive eating patterns. Plus Charlie having been distance learning for going on 10 months is another set up for more restriction and attempted control around foods. I’m taking a proactive approach to help minimize the effects of these stressors and I’m planning to offer a new fruit and or vegetable each month. It may be tempting to do it weekly, but that’s A LOT. A lot of pressure, a lot to be responsible, and a definite set up for failure and disappointment.
Admittedly we cook with the boys pretty often, and with distance learning it’s been even easier to incorporate. I find that I sometimes go longer stretches and start stressing about the mess and the time the more weeks that go by. So I would like to set up a standing date to practice recipes with the boys. Charlie will be able to move into a more independent role while Henry starts with the early lessons. I want to support them in these new roles with recipes we love as well as new to us recipes.
I’m a natural homebody. Lots of moving as a child has led me to crave the comfort of my own spaces and to honor my routines. I want to be sure my boys feel comfortable out in the world as well as at home, so that means we need to give them opportunities. Adventures don’t have to be big or expensive. Things like a picnic or going to a new restaurant or grocery store can be an adventure if you treat it as such. Regularly offering safe and new experiences (especially around food) can help your child become more confident in the world, and to empower them to decide for themselves things they like and dislike.
Do you set goals for yourself? What about for your family? Let me know what you plan to tackle! I find that when done correctly they can really help us to make meaningful changes. If you haven’t thought about this yet, consider setting some family wellness goals like the ones above.
