family goals 2022

Now that we’re a few weeks into 2022, I hope you’re finding yourself a little more settled and in a good routine. You also might be thinking it’s about time for a break (let’s be real, as wonderful as the holidays are, they often aren’t as restful as we’d like). So, I’d encourage you to pause the hustle and bustle and resolutions and goals for a second and daydream a bit. Make room for some fun resolutions too! Whether it’s just you and your partner or you have a whole crew, set aside time to plan out some family goals—not ones that add additional pressure, but goals that bring you together a little more this year.

PS—This post is not about Insta perfect photos tagged #familygoals. I’m simply collaborating with you for a few pressure-free, stress-free ways that we can all spend more quality time with our families. Let’s reinvent #familygoals to be more realistic, achievable, and authentically fun!

Top Family Goals to Consider in 2022

1. Have dinner together—unplugged. 

This will look different for every family. Maybe you have older kids in sports and other activities. Eating together at the table every night is unrealistic. Instead, maybe you block one or two days out of the week and schedule a “date” together. Or, maybe you opt for 3-4 nights a week. Put your phones away (parents too), and try a game such as Table Topics to get more conversation going. Here’s a Table Topics deck for families with young kids, but they have decks for all stages of life, including dinner with friends and even wedding packs for bachelorette parties and bridal showers.

You could eat together at home, or make a bucket list of new restaurants you want to try together this year. Make it a family event and act like you’re all restaurant critics. Each member can give the restaurant a rating. (Even toddlers can offer a thumbs up or down and explain why the Mac n Cheese was just too cheesy–or didn’t have enough ketchup. Because toddlers are weird.) Add your ratings to the list, and choose the family favorite at the end of the year. Don’t forget to add 2nd, 3rd, and runner-up awards!

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family goals; Houston family photography
family goals; Dazzling Diva Photography

2. Start a game night.

Tired of Candy Land and can’t do another round of Crazy Eights? Try a new board game or card game every month. Designate a day of the week as Family Game Night, order pizza, and let the games begin! 

Check out The Spruce’s 10 Best Family Games of 2022. And if you want to change it up, use VR headset try a few virtual reality games (move the furniture!) or throw it back with old school Mario Kart.

3. Routinely plan things to look forward to.

As adults, we often “get through” by having something to look forward to—date night, ladies’ night out, our next vacation… Kids need that too. School, extracurricular activities, and even (especially!) social life is very demanding. We’ve been there and done that and forget how hard it actually was. It’s more challenging now than when we were kids. Even our little ones are expected to do more. Give them something to look forward to and reward them for all their hard work, and not necessarily on an “earned” or achievement basis. They already have plenty of that. It could be simple: ice cream on Fridays or play at the park every Monday (Mondays are rough, y’all). Maybe designate a day for family movie night or schedule a fancy one-on-one date night together. Whatever you do, break up the routine for them with something fun.

Houston family photographer; Dazzling Diva Photography; family goals
Houston family photographer; Dazzling Diva Photography; family goals
Houston family photographer; Dazzling Diva Photography; family goals

4. Set a “Family Goal” together.

Ironically, one of your family goals could be to make a goal. Again, there’s no pressure here, but it can be really fun to have a family conversation—with the kids—to come up with a unified family goal. It could be silly, serious, healthful, mindful…whatever you want. 

If you’re a couple, you’ll obviously work on this together as a team. But if you have kids, I encourage you to let them take the reins while you primarily serve as a guide and listening ear. Help them with the goal-setting process, and take time to listen to what’s most important to them right now. What are their concerns? Do they want to get better at something? What do they want more of as a family? This is a great time to tune into their little hearts. Sure, we may usually know what’s best for them, but sometimes they have concerns that we don’t know about. This activity also gives you more insight into their personalities. Are they deep? Analytical? Carefree? Spontaneous? Routine-oriented?

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family goals 2022; family portraits
best family photographer near me; Houston family photography

Help your kids come up with a S.M.A.R.T. goal:

  • Specific
  • Measurable 
  • Attainable
  • Relevant
  • Time-Bound

Then, write the goal down, decorate it if you’d like, and post it somewhere all of you can see it. You could even turn it into a family mantra or motto and make wall art from it if you’d like.

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ideas for family goals

5. Plan a vacation.

And finally, after scheduling some family fun into your regular routine and making your family goal, make your last one a big one! Spend some time planning a family vacation together. Don’t forget to let your kids have some say. 

Letting your kids participate in the planning:

  • Builds confidence
  • Helps with decision making
  • Gives them autonomy
  • Builds organization and planning skills
  • Makes them feel important, valued, and seen
  • Fosters collaboration
  • Makes the trip more fun!! 

As soon as your child is able to talk, you can involve them in the “planning” just by asking simple questions or showing them photos and talking about it.  

setting goals with kids; family goal setting; family portraits; Houston family photography
family goals
setting goals with kids; family goal setting; family portraits; Houston family photography

Book Your Family Portraits with Dazzling Diva | Houston Family Photography

While planning your family goals, don’t forget to book a family session so you have updated family portraits! Full sessions are booking up fast for 2022. Reserve your spot here.

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