Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some amazing and simple ideas for your New Year’s Resolutions! These are ways you can better yourself and others in 2026.
While they are hard to keep all year long, the pursuit of them is an accomplishment in itself.
Some of our favorites:
Click HERE to see and read the rest of the ideas!
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.
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.
WNZR shared the amazing totals of the 2025 Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Collection. Thanks to everyone that packed a shoebox. The goals for Knox County and the Central Ohio Team have been met this year!
Xander got to have a sit down with Coach Mark Richt! Coach Richt is a former college football coach and player that spoke at the Tragedy Into Triumph event last night on MVNU’s campus. Coach tells us about his football career and his testimony on how he came to know Jesus!
Tragedy Into Triumph will happen again tonight and tomorrow with more amazing speakers! Doors open at 6pm and the event starts at 7pm.
For more info on Tragedy Into Triumph click HERE!
Many of us love The Chosen but now it’s time for The Chosen Adventures! This is a new animated series based on bible stories.
Ryan Swanson, the writer for both The Chosen and The Chosen Adventures, joined us to tell us about his story and how these projects came to life! He also gives us insight into the new animated endeavor and when we can see it!
Click HERE to learn more about The Chosen Adventures!
WNZR got to talk with Derral Eves, the Executive Producer of “The Chosen”!
Derral tells us about his backstory and how the very popular show came to be. He also shares some information regarding a new project called “The Chosen Adventures”! It will be an animated series that would come out on Amazon this month, on October 17th!
To learn more about The Chosen Adventures, click HERE!
Our very own Eric Brown got to sit down with chart-topping Christian artist Mark Schultz!
He shares with us about his journey to being an artist, his song writing process, and how he hopes people feel after listening to his songs. Mark also goes in depth on one of his songs and shares a story he heard recently from a fan.
Mark will be right here on MVNU’s campus for Starting Point’s “Evening with Mark Schultz” tomorrow! It is a night of music and conversation that you won’t want to miss.
To secure tickets click HERE!
To learn more about Starting Point click HERE!
We are so excited to get the opportunity to share a conversation with Davide Mutendji, a member of Elevation Rhythm! Davide and his crew will be performing at Sonfest 2025 here at MVNU tomorrow and you are not going to want to miss this extremely powerful event.
Davide shares his background, gives us an insight on the songwriting process, and he talks about big upcoming news for the band!
Ethan and Davide also have a good time playing rapid fire!
For more info on Sonfest 2025 click HERE!
The Morning Thing talked with Stephanie Lefever, Communications Manager at Sight & Sound Theatres about the exciting theatrical release of NOAH – LIVE!
Sight & Sound’s flagship production, NOAH, is setting sail for movie theaters nationwide!
Stephanie talked about this special 30th anniversary celebration and the process of taking this extraordinary production from the big stage to the big screen.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation with Stephanie and WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart.
Click HERE to find a list of show times and theaters.
Here is the Trailer:
Today, Marcy and Xander shared some great hobby ideas for you and your family! Whether you enjoy fun, athletic, or unusual hobbies, there is something on this list for everyone. With over 100 hobbies to choose from you can find something that suits you!
Some of our favorites:
There is many more so go check out the full list HERE!
Rise and Shine 