As the new year begins, many of us feel drawn to reflect on the past year and set intentions for what’s ahead. But reflection doesn’t have to be tied to the calendar. Whether you do it in January, quarterly, biannually, or whenever life feels out of sync, taking time to pause and realign can help your family live more intentionally.

Here is a starting point to help you reflect, plan, and grow—together and as individuals.

1. What Do I Want More Of This Year? Less Of?

2. Values

• What values did we prioritize this year?
• Are we happy with those priorities, or do we want to make adjustments?
• Are there values we want to center more intentionally in the year ahead?

3. Vision: Supporting Development This Year & Beyond

Our children are always growing, and so are we. Reflect on how you can align your parenting and personal growth with their developmental needs:

• What developmental stages are our children navigating this year?
• For donor-conceived or adopted children: Are there milestones where we might want to offer additional support or conversation around their family story?
• What do we need to learn or adjust to support them in alignment with our values?

Long-Term Planning

• Is there anything we need to do now, as a family or as individuals, to set us up for the next 5, 10, or even 20 years?

4. Division of Responsibility: Creating Balance and Alignment

Equity and balance are essential for a thriving family dynamic. Ask yourselves:

• Do we need to review or adjust roles and responsibilities for the year ahead?
• Are responsibilities fairly and equitably divided to support our vision?
• Are we honoring each parent’s strengths?

Reflection Matters

Whether it’s the beginning of the year, a mid-year reset, or a moment when you feel the need to realign, these questions can help you live with more clarity, connection, and intention.

Reflection doesn’t have to be groundbreaking—it’s about creating space to pause, realign, and grow. So, take a breath, grab a pen (or your favorite note-taking app), and dive in.