The list

Now that the month is 1/2 over, I thought I would post about our family goals! Better late than never, right? We had a great little FHE lesson on the first Monday of January, teaching the kids about setting goals and doing good things in our family. We came up with some attributes that we want to portray in our family, like being honest, kind, helpful, faithful, hardworking, and being team players. We talked about some different 'mascots' that we could choose for our family this year and agreed on ANTS. Yes, we're ants. Although elephants, dolphins, and whales are also nice animals, they didn't quite portray the characteristics we were looking for. Ants work together, and even though they are small they accomplish big things! I like it. I made a bulletin board with our goals printed out and hung it below our FHE board where we can see it often. 




Each of the kids wrote down their own goals, except Ashley. Olivia's is especially cute since she's such a new little writer/beginning reader. The goals Austin came up with are:

1. Learn to make dinner once a week
2. Take care of myself without being told (he is way too old to need help in this department, in my opinion!)
3. Help take care of Ashley 
4. Read scriptures by myself for 3 min/day




We didn't push them into doing anything they didn't want to do. We wanted them to come up with goals on their own so that it would mean something to them. Austin has already made grilled cheese for the family- and did a great job! Last week he made us fried eggs and toast. What to do this week? I need to come up with some real meals he can do. He is totally owning this one and really feeling so proud of himself. He also has been reading his (brand new) scriptures on his own. Tonight he came to me and asked if I would read with him. 

Olivia's goals are:

1. Read 10 minutes a day (we already try to do 20 min/day for school)
2. Listen to Mom and Dad (and obey too, that second part doesn't always happen)
3. Bathe and dress myself (usually we have to walk her step by step through this process)
4. Wrestle with Dad (had to include a fun one)
5. Say prayers by myself
6. Practice writing




So far the first four goals are going pretty well. The last two could use a little encouragement. The problem is finding a nice balance between encouraging and hand holding. I don't want to force these things on them or have to walk them through it- that's exactly what we're trying to do LESS of at our house! More independence please! But obviously a 5 year old is not going to be focused on her goals every day and all obsessed with it, not my 5 year old anyway. I need to remind her about these last two a little more often. 


For Ashley, we tried to think of some things we would like to see her accomplish this year. They are:

1. Go to the potty by herself- we just want her to at least get herself started
2. No more binky by 3rd birthday. (This is about a month away. I have major issues with BIG kids still having a binky)
3. Be reverent in FHE and sacrament meeting (we can dream, right?)
4. Clean up after herself
5. Practice dancing and being a princess- we know she'll do great in this department



I am not going to go over my goals and Jared's goals in detail. Some of mine are things that have been on my list for YEARS, I hate to admit. Others are new, like the organizing/budgeting goal. I also plan on doing my 2nd marathon- I want to do the TOU again and I'm hoping that my knee won't flare up 2 weeks beforehand this time! Another new one on my list is to plan a family vacation to Yellowstone/Grand Teton (and start saving for it). Jared has about 9 things listed including Learn Spanish and read more books. I am happy to say he's about to finish his first book of the year already. Good job Jared! So we're progressing. We're improving. We're trying. I love the quote my SIL Amy shared on her blog:

"I do not believe that any man lives up to his ideals, but if we are striving, if we are working, if we are trying, to the best of our ability, to improve day by day, then we are in the line of our duty. If we are seeking to remedy our own defects, if we are so living that we can ask God for light, for knowledge, for intelligence, and above all, for His Spirit, that we may overcome our weaknesses, then, I can tell you, we are in the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal. Then we need have no fear." - Heber J. Grant (April 1909)