Extraordinary Tuesdays: Two For Tuesday

Welcome to "Two For Tuesday" a post every Tuesday for us Extraordinary Mothers (over @ Extraordinary Mothers) on how we deal and cope with motherhood, the pains, angst's, joys, and triumphs. I am Karie of The Five Fish and as a mother of twins and a singleton I know all too well the "two" sides to each coin, our children and ourselves and how to find answers and balance.

Happy New Year. Another year, another opportunity to start fresh right? I read today on a friend's blog about how each new year is not a fresh start but yet a continuation of the chapters of our book. She could not be more true with her words. Wiping our slate clean would only suggest that we did not learn from the events of the previous year, day, and months. A new slate also means we are starting at the bottom, new, fresh, no ground work already laid, which makes annual goals that much more unattainable.

How many of you have already made annual resolutions? Lose weight? Quit smoking? Quit cursing? Join a gym, club, church, whatever the case may be. How about any family goals? Any goals and resolutions for the year that mean the entire family? Everyone pitches in, everyone is involved, including the kids towards family goals and resolutions. No family goals? Why not?

Crazy as the idea may sound a family goal creates a healthy foundation for children to set realistic goals, for us as parents to set realistic goals, and everyone is involved which promotes the overall family structure. A starting family goal could be to agree to family dinners each night and maybe everyone takes turns making the meal, setting the table, or cleaning up afterward. A goal to create a stronger family unit. A goal to spend more quality time together. Even the goal of taking a family vacation even if just a stay-cation.

The goal could be anything as a family, anything promoting togetherness and individuality within the family unit. Goals are great fun as long as they are realistic, attainable, and best of all when they're fun and yield results. So this year when making some resolutions, goals, look at a way to include the family, have some fun with it, encourage the kids and the entire family to think of some great resolutions and goals that everyone can partake. Because each new year that passes is not a clean slate, but another chapter of life.

What will you write in your chapter this year? What kind of family goals can you make? Will make?