Category: Inspirational

12 Family Goals for the New Year

Today, The Morning Thing shared some encouragement to help you start the first full week of 2026.

Here are some great ideas from imom.com to help your family stay strong and stay connected in the new year. Click HERE to see the full article from Author, Nancy Jergins.

Nancy Jergins – Educator and journalist Nancy Jergins is the author of Wise Words Mom: What to Say to Raise Kids Who Feel Accepted, Confident and Loved, an Amazon Top New Release in Motherhood, and an Amazon Top 50 Selection in One-Hour Reads. Nancy also worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and spent many years as a TV news reporter and anchor.

12 Family Goals for the New Year

Choose one goal for every month. You can keep it simple and just put up a list with the goals, or you can have a family celebration at the start of each month to kick off that month’s goal and get input from your kids. Here are 12 family goals to achieve together this year.

1. Cooking

Most moms want their kids to learn how to cook before they move out so they’re able to take care of themselves when they’re on their own. For this goal, assign each child a meal to prepare for the family. For younger kids, it can be breakfast or lunch. Older kids can cook dinner.

2. Service

Meet as a family to come up with a way to help others. Let the kids have a say in where you give your time. You can spur them along by asking who in the neighborhood, at church, or in the community needs a helping hand.

3. Money

You can use our share, save, spend printable to kick off this month’s goal. For older kids, consider explaining the financial basics of running a family. You can use beans to show how much goes into each category—housing, cars, food, insurance. It might finally make sense why you keep yelling for them to turn off the lights when they leave the room. This is a family goal that you could continue for more than a month, as your kids will love to see their wallets, savings, and giving funds grow.

4. Poetry

Don’t laugh! Poetry can enhance your family life by showing how words can help us express emotions. You can make this fun and funny. Have your husband read a love poem by Emily Dickenson or look up some quirky poems by Shel Silverstein for your kids.

5. A Fast

Fasting isn’t just about food, although you could try that, too. Consider what has a little too much presence in your family’s life. Electronics after dinner? Going out to eat? Sweets? Go without it for a month and see how the fast frees up time, makes you feel healthier, or helps your budget.

6. Kindness

Make your family goal to say one kind thing to each other every day. At first, it will feel hokey. But pretty soon, you’ll see that it really does encourage more kindness.

7. Reading

If you can get your kids to read for an hour a day, studies show their vocabulary and comprehension will be off the charts. That’s the science behind this family goal, but it can be fun, too. Choose one book to read aloud as a family, or have your kids read independently, and then meet at the end of the week to talk about the chapters they read. Entice them to read by eating foods related to the book when you have your mini book club gathering.

8. Movement

This month, focus your family goal on moving. Go for a walk as a family after dinner or on the weekends. Play doubles tennis (there are large tennis balls that slow down play for younger kids) or make a circle and do jumping jacks facing each other.

9. Faith

Explore faith if it’s not already a part of your life. Since studies show that attending faith services strengthens families, visit a church. If your family already practices a faith, add another element like daily reading or nightly prayer. Unsure about how to shape your family’s faith? These ideas can help.

10. Thankfulness

Research shows that when we show thanks to others, it improves our overall happiness. This is a great skill to teach children. They can use this to help themselves through tough times when they’re out on their own. A fun family goal would be to write one thank you note per day and pop it in the mail. Take turns writing the note. (This doesn’t have to be all on you, Mom!)

 11. Online Awareness

It would be easy to make this month about turning off all the devices. Instead, use it to teach your family about being aware of how much time they spend looking at screens. You can have everyone keep track of their screen use for a day or a week. Don’t be afraid to try a no-electronics day or two.

12. A New Skill

What will it be? Knitting? Juggling? Shooting 10 free throws in a row? Everyone chooses a skill and works on it throughout the month. At the end of the month, you can have a skills showcase.

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Mayor Matt Starr Reflects on 2025 in Year in Review Edition of Spotlight on Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr opens the Year in Review with WNZR’s Eric Brown by reflecting on the overall direction of the city over the past year. He notes that while there were challenges along the way, Mount Vernon continued to move forward with stability and purpose. The mayor emphasizes teamwork between city staff, council, and the community as a key factor in maintaining momentum.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Mayor Starr also touches on the importance of planning ahead, explaining that much of the work done this year focused on laying a solid foundation for future progress. He frames the year as one marked by steady leadership, thoughtful decision-making, and a continued commitment to serving residents.

Mayor Starr discusses city finances and budgeting, highlighting the importance of being fiscally responsible while still meeting the needs of the community. He explains how the city worked to balance priorities, manage resources wisely, and remain mindful of economic pressures affecting local governments.

He also stresses transparency in the budgeting process, noting that careful planning allows Mount Vernon to maintain services and invest in long-term goals. The mayor reinforces that responsible financial decisions made this year will benefit residents well into the future.

Mayor Starr turns the focus to infrastructure and city improvements, sharing updates on ongoing and completed projects throughout Mount Vernon. He explains how street work, utilities, and maintenance projects play a crucial role in keeping the city safe and functional, even when those efforts aren’t always highly visible.

He also acknowledges that infrastructure work can be inconvenient at times, but emphasizes that these projects are necessary investments. Mayor Starr reassures residents that the city remains committed to improving quality of life through smart, well-planned upgrades.

In this segment, Mayor Starr highlights economic development and growth within Mount Vernon. He talks about efforts to support local businesses, attract new investment, and create an environment where the local economy can continue to thrive.

The mayor also points to partnerships with developers and community organizations as an important part of that success. He notes that growth is being approached thoughtfully, with an emphasis on maintaining Mount Vernon’s character while planning for the future.

Mayor Starr wraps up the Year in Review by looking ahead, sharing optimism for what lies ahead for Mount Vernon. He reflects on lessons learned throughout the year and how those experiences will shape decisions moving forward.

He closes by expressing gratitude to city employees, council members, and residents for their continued support and involvement. Mayor Starr reinforces his commitment to leadership, collaboration, and keeping Mount Vernon moving in a positive direction in the year ahead.

Click HERE to keep up to date with the City of Mount Vernon!

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Russ Lee From Newsong Talks About Christmas!

Russ shares how his family finds and exchanges Christmas gifts during Christmas time, and about his family traditions, including watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and watching Christmas movies. He also shares what his family’s favorite Christmas movies are to watch.

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How United Way of Knox County Is Making a Difference—One Donation at a Time

Katie Ellis, Director of the United Way of Knox County, recently sat down with WNZR’s Eric Brown to share an update on this year’s United Way campaign—and the impact it continues to have across the county.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

Katie says the community response has been encouraging. Support continues to come in through individual donations and employer matching programs, helping push the campaign close to the $400,000 mark. The overall goal this year is $1.1 million, and while there’s still work to do, the momentum is strong.

She also took time to explain the heart behind the United Way’s mission. With so many organizations working together under one umbrella, United Way helps strengthen local nonprofits while supporting each group’s individual goals. Many of these organizations serve Knox County families in different ways, and the need for their services continues to grow.

One common misconception, Katie says, is that the United Way campaign ends at the close of the calendar year. In reality, the campaign runs through March 31st, giving supporters more time to get involved and make an impact.

Several United Way partner organizations have been serving the community for generations. Thanks to continued support, many have been able to expand their services and reach even more people in need.

Katie highlighted United Way’s three focus areas: education, healthy living, and financial stability. The goal isn’t just to help families survive, but to help them truly thrive. By addressing the greatest needs in the community, United Way works to create long-term, meaningful change.

She also emphasized education around healthy living and financial stability, noting that many programs supported by United Way help people “turn the corner” and, in some cases, completely change their lives.

For those who haven’t given before, Katie encourages taking that first step. Every donation matters—large or small. She notes that even $2.50 a month can help make a difference for someone in Knox County.

To learn more about the United Way of Knox County and its partner organizations, you can find them on Facebook at Live United Knox County or visit UWayKnox.org.

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Have Your Kids Help Reduce Holiday Stress

If your house is full of kids with extra energy and you’re feeling the pressure of a long holiday to-do list, you’re not alone.

The Christmas season can be joyful, but it can also be overwhelming when it feels like everything is on your shoulders.

That’s why iMOM.com suggests letting kids be part of the holiday prep. With simple, age-appropriate tasks, kids get to contribute, feel proud of their role, and help make Christmas meaningful — and parents get a little breathing room along the way.

Earlier on The Morning Thing Monday, we shared a list of holiday helper ideas broken down by age to make it easy to get everyone involved.

Click HERE to see the full list from iMOM.com

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Does your holiday season need some laughter?

We know that this time of year can add extra stress to your family as you live through a busy calendar and lots of Christmas prep work.

The Morning Thing wants to help! We want to add more JOLLY to your Holly Jolly 25!
Here is a list of Christmas Jokes for Kids from imom.com
Take a minute, share a few of these with your family and friends, and LAUGH!
Laughter and having FUN is SO important during the holidays.

We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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The Morning Thing Friday Favorites – funny Christmas Memories

One great perk of the holiday season is finding the time to laugh and have fun with our family and friends. For our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts share their favorite funny memories from Christmas.

Click HERE to hear from Marcy, Eric, Xander and Josiah or click on the link below.

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Prayers to Help Fill Family’s Hearts During Christmas

December can feel overwhelming for families. Gifts to buy and wrap, cards to send, cookies to bake, houses to clean, decorations to hang, and recitals to attend—just when one task is finished, another takes its place.

This season, consider moving something down the list and adding one simple but powerful practice: Christmas prayer. Taking time to pray—daily or even weekly—can help you stay focused on what truly matters. Prayer brings peace, eases stress, and shifts the focus away from perfection and toward joy.

The iMOM Christmas Prayers is designed to help you do just that. Each prayer centers on meaningful themes like joy, peace, and hope, paired with a Bible verse that connects those words to the life of Jesus. It’s a gentle reminder of the gifts we already have—today and every day.

These prayers are perfect for kids, too, and come in three beautifully designed options. If you’re looking for ways to pray together as a family, check out iMOM’s 10 Ways to Teach Your Child to Pray for simple, encouraging ideas.

Click HERE to see the complete list from iMOM!

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