Reset Your Family Priorities
by Jen Reyneri
Jan 18, 2017
What comes to mind as you read the words family priorities?
I know if you’re taking the time to read this, your family is important to you. Perhaps you have your first baby, are adding a new little one to your pack, or are a tribe of ten. Wherever you are as a family, it’s critical that mom and dad set aside some time together to reflect, pray, dream, and plan, especially in the onset of a new year.
It’s a great idea to prompt ourselves as parents and leaders of our families not only to set resolutions, but to reset some of the things in our lives that may be out of sync with the priorities and vision we have been called to in our families. Often times, it takes a purposeful reset in different areas of our lives.
Set some time aside, and hopefully even away, from distractions and the to-do list and rethink how you have been operating as a family. Then, make an annual habit of resetting your priorities with the passing of each new year. Here are some of my favorite ways to reset and reprioritize in our family each year.
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Reflect, Reset and Dream
Enlist the help of a babysitter and set time aside together with your spouse. Take an honest look at your year behind and dream about the year ahead. It’s critical to evaluate your family priorities from time to time, and the new year is perfect.
I like to call it “thinking like a family CEO”.
During the first week of each new year, my husband and I make a reflection and planning date at Barnes and Noble. I buy my new year’s calendar half price (yeah!) and we both bring all the notes, dates, thoughts and dreams we’ve been compiling for our family business meeting.
We sip coffee and dream together. We talk about our boys’ education, activities, and how we are spending time as a family. We figure out what to let go of and talk about where to spend time and tithes. If we need to research something on our hearts, all the books we can imagine are at our fingertips.
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We’ve searched kitchen remodeling, traveling, baby names, and even business planning ideas all while meeting in the café. We also incorporate our word for the year into our planning. It is truly one of my favorite times of the year with my husband.
Take a Retreat
Set aside time for a spiritual retreat, both as individuals and as a couple. I dream of my retreat, find a couple options, and then take action to plan and budget for them with my husband at our New Year meeting. Annually, we take the week between Christmas and New Year’s to disconnect, reconnect and retreat as a a family.
In the past, I’ve attended women’s retreats such as Daring Daughters, Captivating, and small group retreats with other homeschooling moms. My husband has experienced Wild at Heart Bootcamp and small group men’s retreats with and without our oldest son.
Retreats have had such an impact on our lives that a few years ago, we bought and renovated a property with a guest cottage and have hosted many ministry leaders, writer’s, families, and dreamers to personal retreats. Last year, I was inspired to create the incredible SHINE retreats for creative Christian women. You can find out information on how to join us here.
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Tame your Technology
With the turn of another year, our clock to the future moves further ahead. Life with technology is at an all time rapid pace with no signs of slowing down. Living in this age is certainly exciting, especially with a family. As parents with more and more business and life conducted via technology and online, we need to guard our hearts and family priorities, while becoming increasingly intentional with our family time.
In fact, I challenge you to take an honest inventory of how much time and where you are spending it online. Consider taking a fast from Facebook, spending some more time in the Bible, and reading books to your children. Be intentional about getting outdoors with your family to play catch, fly a kite, or just take a walk. Then, establish some on and off-line times and even some “no-phone zones” and rules in your home.
Creating awareness and establishing technology rules now while your children are young will help you maintain family priorities. Managing their online connection as your children grow reminds them that home is where they’ll get the best heart connection.
What are some of the ways you pause at the beginning of each year to set family priorities?
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Jen Reyneri
Renaissance Woman Jen Reyneri and her husband Luis often live life on the road with their two home-schooled sons. Popular author and speaker, Jen is founder of WordTraveling.com. Spirited and spirit filled, she savors life, poetic words, sabbaticals and strong coffee.
