Teaching The Kids Gratitude & To Be Mindful in 2015 #ONatural
Studies say you will have the best results by starting a resolution when you’re mentally ready and starting January 1st may set you up for failure because it is a trend rather than a personal quest. Since we started our ‘resolution’ in October I tend to agree with that theory. However, that was not always the case, in this post – Successful New Year Resolution That Happened Eleven Years Ago – 45 lbs gone – I do share about a healthy New Year’s resolution back in 2004 that I was extremely successful with starting January 1st 2004.
We did want to capitalize on the opportunity of a fresh New Year to make a few positive changes to our days and mental health as a big family. Here are three ideas we have implemented to help us along the way.
Family Gratitude Journal
This part of our new routine is a lot more time consuming than the rest of the tools we implements this New Year. However, it is much more rewarding as well. Since we are blessed to sit down at our dinner table each night as a family it was a little easier for us to implement this tool at the dinner table.
Each night each family member would tell the group what they were thankful/ grateful for during their day – one simple point. Mommy is the secretary and documents everyone’s words in our family journal. The plan is to re-read our journal as a family throughout the holidays in December 2015. This will give the kids and us a great opportunity to reflect on the positives the year 2015 had for us.
Since it takes 21 days to start a new routine I am confident that if we can put gratitude front and center for the month of January our little people will start noticing all the opportunities to be grateful around them.
A Personal Writen Affirmation
My husband reads a lot of business and self help books, they are an extremely great way to grow personally and professionally. When you’re a business owner, growth is your key to success.
Have you heard the story about the guy who writes himself a million dollar check and places it on his headboard? Each night before bed for years he looks at the check and thinks to himself “Yes I will cash that check one day.” The best part he does cash that check.
This is a great way to teach your mind an affirmation that you want to see come true. Our minds works wonders when you can grow them. We decided to write an affirmation on a sticky tab and stick it to everyone’s headboard. This affirmation was a personal goal for each family member and by writing it down and looking at it daily it is keeping us accountable for the chance we want to see.
Gratitude Rock
Numerous of my hubby’s books also talk about carrying around a gratitude rock in their pocket. A way to remind you through the craziness of the day that you have much to be grateful for. We wrote gratitude on the front of six rocks and each family members name and year on the back.
The school kids and daddy place their rock in their lunch pails and Little O and Mommy in our pocket.
We explained to the kids that when you see your gratitude rock take a moment to be mindful and think of a way to be thankful for those around you and if something cool that has happened to you at school in that moment.
The first day when the kids unloaded their lunch pails the excitement was happening all at once. All three took those much needed moments during the day and when they got home they remembered to tell me what they were grateful for at school.
Mr L (7) says ” I am thankful for the gratitude rock because it is always by my side when I eat my lunch. My friends were wondering what it was. ”
The gratitude rock not only teaches our children to be thankful but it gives them a chance to inspire and teach others around them.
Are you working on a New Year Resolution this January?
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One resolution is just to exercise… sadly, that is enough of a goal for me- I really haven’t done any exercise on purpose in years! I keep thinking about how I need to do better with eating healthier, but I haven’t made the move yet.
I want to make more home made foods
My new year resolution is to finish my language course and practice speaking online with skype for my dream vacation
my health goal is to eat more veggies and be active minimum of 30 minutes a day
mine is to tone up
Get back in shape and pay off some school debts.
I want to be a good role model for my children with both my actions and my words.
I am trying to save more money this year.
My resolution is to get to (and stay at!) my goal weight in 2015. Started Weight Watchers in mid-September & have already lost over 20 pounds! Thanks for the chance to win!
WAY TO GO LORI!!!! Wishing you all the best!
My New Years Resolution is to get more exercise – I am thin, but out of shape, and I want to get fit again.
I don’t make resolutions but I would like to start budgeting!
I am going to lose the last 10 lbs for a total of 75 lbs since May 2014.
Our goal for the year is to turn the tv off during certain hours, for reading time, it’s going well so far!
I am trying to work on being more patient.
I can appreciate that Holly, I work on that one daily too!
my goal is to lose weight
We want to get healthier this year through diet and exercise.
More veggies and water daily!
We cut out pop and trying to limit fast food
I’m hoping to spend more time outdoors getting exercise and fresh air.
We are planning for more activities for kids this year, but that threatens my cooking-everything-from scratch way of living, so my goal is to try to find that happy balance.
I plan to get more seep and eat less sugar this year
Im just trying to be more positive and healthy in general
I will cut sugar out of my diet this year.
My resolution is to get out of debt
Im working on a few things, basically health wealth love and happiness. No more stress, no more yelling booo on bad moods 😉
Lose weight
I’m cutting all soda out of my diet.
health goals for the family is to eat healthier foods, more fruits. veggies and grains and no fried foods
My resolution is to spend more time with my children doing fun activities.
Mine is to go to sleep earlier! I stay up way too late.
Cheers.
Eat way more fiber every single day. 🙂
To get rid of these extra weight finally.
I want to quit smoking.
Not exactly a resolution, just trying to be more mindful of what we’re eating and trying to consciously be more active.
Walking and biking more instead of using the car to get more exercise.
One of my resolutions is to play outside with my kids more.
I always have healthy goals but then I also always end up failing so this year my goal is to not spend money and budget more wisely!
My new years resolution is to try to eat a little ‘cleaner’
To stay healthy and walk more.
No resolution just live a healthier life style
We are all trying to be more active every day.
My health goal is to drink more water.
We as a family are trying to eat healthier and get out and about more.
eat healthier and become more active!
My health focus this year is to make physical activity a priority daily!!
new year resolutions is too lose 51 lbs
I want to bring lunches instead of dining out
I am hoping to cut sugar out of my diet
For our family we are eating less processed foods in the new year!
Overall, making good healthy choice. My goal is to eat whole foods and drink plenty of water.
We’re aiming to eat more fresh veggies.
I am feeling very emotional reading this post! A good emotional, I might add.
You are just put into words so many things that I’ve been mulling over in my own mind for quite some time now.
At the beginning of this school year, I decided that I was going to help my children focus on gratitude as well. I also wanted to be mindful of kindness every single day. SO every day after school, I ask my kids what they did today that was kind. It makes them think and after getting into the routine, they make sure that they have something to share with me every day after school.
Every night at dinner, we go around the table and talk about our favourite and least favourite part of our day. I would love to write the most favourite part down and keep it in a Gratitude Jar so that when we are feeling down, we have somewhere to go to bring us back up and to remind us of the positive parts of our lives.
Mine is to maintain my 70lb weight loss
No resolutions just gonna try and eat healthier 🙂