January 2025! It’s hard to believe another year is upon us. 2024 was rather good to us as a magazine and individuals, but ultimately as a community. This Villager was able to explore our beautiful region and try many new outings and experiences with the littlest of Villagers in tow. This new year has me feeling sentimental about how blessed we are to live in the Simcoe North region and the incredible opportunities for fun.
What will this new year bring, you may ask? I am looking forward with anticipation. I have never been one for New Year’s Resolutions in actuality. In theory, they are lovely and I do see the value in the yearly reset. This year, let us all try establishing some new patterns for our families to make 2025 the best year yet. Here are 5 ideas to guide this new year for your family:
1. Increase time outdoors– there are countless ways to enjoy the outdoors in our region that are free and fun. The walking trails, the tobogganing hills, snowshoing, and the outdoor rinks are a few freebies to get you started this winter.
2. Find the Freebies- you know I’m always on the hunt for affordable activities for the family. Keep your eyes open for programs at your local Libraries, through churches, and different community centres that come and go with the seasons.
3. Reduce Screen Time- It’s winter. It’s cold and wet. It’s easier to snuggle up under a blanket and just watch TV. Trust me, I’m into the hygge. But I see very clearly the correlation between screen time in my littles (and myself) and bad behaviour and temperament. Go to the Library, borrow books, puzzles or activity kits. Do crafts. Actually play with all the things you just inherited from the holidays. Make indoor time more than just screen time.
4. Say NO and Let it Go- Okay, this may seem contrary to my general messaging of yes-man and hype squad, but sometimes you just need to say NO. Less is best. It is okay to say no to ALL the things and be mindful of the things you do commit yourself to. I sometimes feel this weird pressure to sign the kids up for swimming, skating, hockey and dance like other families are doing…when all my kids really need is just downtime. So while I do love going out and doing things as a family, I recognize that I need to say no to some of the individual activities and be alright with that. May we all experience the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO). Sometimes.
5. Make time for Fun– Your most valuable commodity is time. And you only have so much of it. Try to use your time wisely and when things get crazy, make sure you are scheduling time for fun. Don’t over schedule- see above. But be intentional about doing life together with your little Villagers. A 10 minute Board Game after dinner can be enough to fill their bucket and show them fun can happen anywhere, anytime.
This Villager will be keeping an eye out for future fun in our region, as always. But will approach this new year with intentionality and some self-control, honing in on fun while not going haywire. More to come! Or, maybe less.
