New Year's Resolutions

Each week or so (usually Sunday nights), my family and I play "The Top 4 Game." I came up with this game after my friend Nancy e-mailed me one of those questionnaire e-mails, but this one only had four questions. It was quick and easy. So one night at dinner, I posed the question to my family, "What are your four favorite foods?" We went around the table, and had a lot of fun. Each time we play, we pose a different question. Usually, the kids have no problem rattling off a list of four or more items. They have more trouble limiting the list to four. Sometimes, they have trouble getting started (eg, "What four words best describe you?"), so my husband and I will start on each of our lists. It is a great exercise for the kids, as well as ourselves, in self-reflection, prioritizing, choosing our words correctly, etc. And it is a lot of fun. There are times, however, when the kids (including the one that I married) do not want to play, so we play a much shorter version of it (like a list of one). Overall, it's been a fun weekly activity for all of us.



This week, I posed the question, "What are your New Year's Resolutions?" The kids came up with their own resolutions; I did have to remind them that they had to pick something that they thought they could really stick to (ie, I will eat foods I don't like -um, I don't think so). They did a great job. I swear, they came up with these themselves (including my husband's).



My Son's New Year's Resolutions:

1. Not to be mean to my sister

2. Obey my mom and dad



My Daughter's New Year's Resolutions:

1. Not to be mean to my brother.

2. Not to cry at the table.

3. To try new foods.

4. To listen to Mom and Dad


My Husband's New Year's Resolutions:

1. Read Wife's Blog more often

2. To hug my wife more often

My New Year's Resolutions

1. Leave the past behind.

2. Not give in to the commercialism of our society.

3. Not yell at my children.

4. Use my powers for good instead of evil (courtesy of my friend Matt).


Let us know what you think. Do you have any New Year's resolutions? Are any of them the same as last year? Mine are (see number 3).

I hope you all have a happy, healthy, safe, and peaceful 2009.