THE FIRST WORD
New Year’s Resolutions: Family Style
We all know how hard it is to stick to New Year’s resolutions. Life
moves fast and being a parent means not always having the time or the
energy to meet certain goals. I wish I could say I’m the type to always
achieve my yearly resolutions, but that’s unfortunately not the case. For
all of the resolutions I’ve made over the years, a few proved successful,
some pushed through the two-month mark and most never even made
it out of January.

If you’ve followed similar suit, but are determined to make this the
year your resolutions stick, check out our list of top goal-tracking apps
on pg. 32. With the busyness of everyday life, these trackers can make
achieving your goals so much easier.

While you might have your own goals, I’m sure you have some
resolutions you’d like your kids to conquer. Maybe it’s less texting,
more face-to-face talking or less junk food and more greens. Or, maybe
you’d like your kids to amp up their studying. Ann Dolin shares some
expert tips on pg. 10 to help your child study better and get more
organized. With some simple strategies that can be practiced at home,
you can help your child make good organizational skills a regular habit.

And if you’d like your little one to do a bit more reading this year, start
by checking pg. 30 for some new children’s books that are full of fun
and wintertime wonder.

Now I’m sure when you think about New Year’s resolutions, you’re
probably not thinking about your pet, right? But, maybe you should!
If little fl uffy is carrying a little extra belly fat, it might be time to set a
goal for your pet to lose some weight. Melanie Switzer-Reilly talked to a
local veterinarian on pg. 26 about the dangers and risks of pet obesity,
which is commonly overlooked. She discusses how our pet’s health
should be a family affair and offers advice for keeping them healthy.

As for a family affair, instead of strictly making your own goals or your
pet’s goals this year, it might be nice to make New Year’s resolutions
as a family. Exercise together, go on more adventures together, read
together, try out new things together, volunteer together — whatever
you decide, the emphasis is on together. Setting goals as a family not
only helps keep everyone more accountable, but it also brings everyone
closer. And really, I think that might be the best 2019 goal of all.

Keep on reading for much more parenting resources inside!
Britni Petersen
Managing Editor
Washington FAMILY Magazine
bpetersen@midatlanticmedia.com washingtonFAMILY.com
January 2019
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