Out With Old and In With The New!
By Toronto4Kids.com

Setting those family New Year’s resolutions…

As 2012 rings in, make your New Year’s resolutions as a family. Not only will this will help bring everyone closer together but together, you can provide that extra support that’s needed to be successful at keeping your resolutions.

Try setting objectives that will benefit the entire family – stay practical and realistic. Here are a few ideas for resolutions that will give your family a sense of accomplishment and help shape 2012 as a healthy, productive and happy new year!

Commit to eating healthy. Develop these habits while your kids are young, and they are likely to continue to lead healthy lifestyles through adulthood. Implement something like… this week the family will try one new healthy food and eat one extra serving of fruits and vegetables.

Get Fit Together. Once you cut back on TV, you’ll have some extra time. So take that opportunity to become more active as a family.  Keep a running list of activities you enjoy doing together, such as jumping rope, soccer, swimming, ice skating, tobogganing, etc. Go for regular walks/runs as a family. Each month, try a new sport or a new physical activity. Add all these activities or play time to the family calendar so they become routine.

Schedule sit down dinners. It’s not easy with today’s overburdened schedules but eating together even one night a week can make a huge difference.

Commit to watching less TV. It’s a known fact that kids watch too much television. Try limiting each family member’s TV viewing to an absolute maximum of one to  two hours per day. That is more than enough time to follow your favourite shows and catch up on the news. And take the TVs out of kids’ bedrooms!

Spend more family time together. Consider implementing a ‘family date night’ once a week. This shouldn’t be expensive as the focus is to ‘hang’ together. Organize family game board nights, rent a movie to watch at home, go on a family hike, or spend a night baking.

Everyone should also come up with a personal item they wish to work on.

Once you’ve made your resolutions, have the kids compose a list which you can post on the fridge… or place the list in a decorated frame where it’s in everyone’s view.

Think about mini monthly rewards for the family as you work to reach your goals, such as special dinners, a night out at the movies, or fun family outings.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

CONGRATULATIONS! You found our hidden January Scavenger Hunt!!!

Would you like a chance to win a Lands’ End ClassMate StudyHaul Backpack and matching Lunch Bag for your little one? Of course you would!

These backpacks are sized for little ones yet big enough to carry everything they need. They have lots of little compartments for all their pencils, erasers, books and more. You’ll love how durable they are and cute, of course, too!

Ready to enter the contest? Here’s how:

1. “Like” Lands’ End on their Facebook page.

2. “Like” PTPA on our Facebook page.

3. Join in on the conversation on their PTPA Winner’s Page by sharing which of this product’s features you love most.

That’s it! It’s easy. The lucky winner will be notified by email at the end of January, announced on this blog post, and posted on our Facebook page. Good luck to all entrants