By: Kimber Sarver. 4-H Extension Agent.
New Year, new you, right? It’s time to stock your fridge with healthy food options and renew your gym membership…or at least renew your commitment to exercise three times a week. And, that is a great plan because it has very realistic goals. Goal setting is an important aspect of life. As you may realize, goal setting is one of the life skills we try to teach to our 4-H youth. But, the question I propose to you today is – are YOU on your own to-do list? Have you scheduled in some me time, family time, or date night time? Does this seem like an impossible task for you because of all the things you have to do? I am super busy at work. And, my home life is just as busy. Your home life is probably similar to mine – cook dinner, make sure kids’ homework is done, wash dishes, start a load of laundry, etc. Does scheduling “down time” seem like a fantasy to you? I agree?! But, if you can’t do this for yourself, do it for your children. Our children model our behaviors. For instance, if you show kindness to others even when someone isn’t kind to you, your children will begin to model that behavior. When you’re committed to a task, even though it’s tough, your children will learn what commitment looks like.
Whether scheduling down time is just for you or for your family, let’s get started right away. Pull out your calendar, get your favorite colored pen. I use a Pink Pen for Personal time. Whatever you do, DO NOT use pencil, because you will end up erasing your precious personal time! I’m sure you have your own idea of what to put in this very special spot, but just in case, here are a few ideas. Maybe this Saturday you can have a picnic or rent a movie and pop some popcorn. In a few weeks, schedule a date night with your loved one. Of course, it is totally okay to take an afternoon or even just a couple of hours for yourself – to do what makes your heart happy. This might seem like a “time waster”, but trust me, youʼll be pleasantly surprised at how many more accomplishments you’ll have just because you put yourself on your to-do list. For more tips and helpful information about parenting, go to http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/departments/fycs.html
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