Beyond the New Year: How to Turn Family Resolutions into Everyday Rituals

Every January, the parks fill up with joggers, ActiveSG gyms fill up, and new shoes come out to play. By March, though, it is a lot quieter. The motivation did not magically disappear; life simply moved back in.

One reason is that many of us go straight for big, ambitious targets. “We’ll exercise every day”, “No more bubble tea”, “10,000 steps or bust”. On paper, it sounds productive. In real life, it’s hard to sustain.

What tends to work better are small, trackable milestones that feel achievable on a busy weekday. Research on physical activity habits suggests that repeated, enjoyable actions in a consistent context are more likely to become automatic routines over time.¹   Families who build habits this way are not relying on willpower alone; they are stacking tiny wins.

So how do we set healthy family resolutions that last past Lunar New Year?

Why Small, Shared Goals MatterFor children and youths, the Health Promotion Board recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily to support healthy growth and development.² That sounds like a lot when everyone is juggling tuition, homework and work calls.

Habit research is reassuring here. Studies show that even complex behaviours like physical activity can become more “automatic” when repeated in small chunks in the same sort of situations, such as after dinner or before bedtime.²

Psychologists also highlight the role of autonomy and enjoyment. When children feel some choice and competence in what they are doing, their motivation tends to last longer.³ This is where family resolutions can shine: they can be shared, playful and tailored to your child’s interests.

How to Set Healthy Family Resolutions That Actually StickHealthy resolutions should feel doable, positive and shared, not like another KPI.

1. Make goals realistic, not radical

Swap “We will jog every morning” for “We will move together twice a week” or “We will add 10 minutes of active play after dinner on weekdays”. Smaller goals reduce the pressure and create more chances to succeed. Behaviour-change studies show that breaking big health goals into smaller milestones improves commitment and follow-through.³

2. Choose goals your child can own, not just follow

Instead of announcing the plan, involve your child in setting it. Ask, “What active thing would you like us to do this week?” It might be catching at the void deck, scooting at the park or a simple skipping challenge at home. When children feel a sense of ownership, they are closer to the “I want to” mindset than “I have to”, which supports more self-driven motivation.⁴

3. Focus on behaviours, not outcomes

Rather than “You must become faster” or “We must all lose weight”, focus on actions within your control:

• “We will play outside three times a week.”
• “We will walk to the MRT instead of taking the bus for one stop.”

When goals emphasise actions rather than outcomes, children are less likely to tie their self-esteem to performance. They learn to value consistency and curiosity, which supports stronger wellbeing over time.

4. Build goals around connection

Movement does not need to look like formal exercise. You could:

• Walk and talk about everyone’s “high and low” of the day.
• Put on one song after dinner and have a family dance.
• Do a simple stretch routine together before bed.

The activity matters, but the shared experience matters more. When movement is linked to warmth and attention, children are more likely to see it as something to look forward to, not just “good for health”.

5. Make space for flexibility

Some weeks will be full of CCA, deadlines or illness. A good resolution can bend without breaking. If a plan falls through, treat it as data, not failure.

“Tuesday evenings are tough. Should we try Saturday mornings instead?”

Studies on planning and exercise behaviour suggest that adjusting plans and anticipating obstacles can help people bridge the gap between intention and action.⁵

Parent’s Role: The Cheerleader-In-ChiefChildren are watching how we react when things go well, and when they do not.

Model healthy praise: Try, “I like how we kept going even though we were tired,” instead of comparing siblings or focusing on who “won”.

Encourage teamwork: Use “we” more than “you”: “We are working towards two active evenings a week”, “We did well today”.

Avoid over-monitoring: Tracking is useful, but micromanaging kills joy. Celebrate consistency without scrutinising every detail.

Make enjoyment the anchor: Research on physical-activity habits suggests that positive feelings like enjoyment and stress relief help strengthen habits over time.² If the whole family is laughing more than sighing, you are on the right track.

The Power of Little Things

Most kids won’t remember how many steps they took in January. But they will remember how Mum made up a dance move nobody asked for, how Dad panted louder than the family dog on a walk, and how everyone high-fived anyway.

That’s the real magic of small wins. They make movement fun enough to come back to, even when the new-year buzz fades.