In this fast paced culture we live in we have forgotten the art of reflection but not all is lost. I have created this family reflection questions to help you and your kids think through the many blessings, challenges and fun times you’ve had in the past year.
At a young age, I was a pensive, quiet and observant child always thinking deeply about something. I remember clearly, coming home from church in our van and listening to a tragic story on the Christian radio station and thinking, “Oh my gosh, Christians aren’t spared from pain. I will also experience hard stuff in my life.” I was probably 9 years old at the time, wrestling with the reality of pain and suffering. Thankfully not all my pondering and reflecting involved such hard topics, usually it’s a refreshing experience.
But there was a point in my life between kids and responsibilities that I lost the art of reflecting and desperately missed it. God helped me see reflecting can be done from anywhere and at anytime and now I try to teach my kids to do the same. Though I must say that reflection doesn’t always come natural to young boys. But I plug along teaching and guiding them in hopes that something will stick.
It’s quite simple but very meaningful so much so that it’s one of the things I look forward to at the end of each season mostly because it helps me see the world through their eyes.
Reflection Day
So much happens in the span of a week, let alone a year so it’s important to remember what God has done in that time, how you’ve grown and what you’ve learned. All of the memories from the past year are not lost, when we take a few minutes to reflect on the heartfelt moments. The ones that made us laugh so hard we almost wet our pants and the ones that brought us to our knees.
So in our family we have “Reflection Day” that happens after the New Year and then a few times after using different questions usually around June (the end of a school year) and August (the end of summer). But we also do it sporadically throughout the year after we’ve served/volunteered together, a fun time, challenging time or a trip.
A Fun Family Tradition: Reflection Day with Questions for the Dinner Table
These questions will help you and your family reflect on this past year: what God has done in the past year, what you’ve learned, what you enjoyed most, what you lost and how you’ve grown.
My favorite part about these reflections is hearing what’s going on in the little hearts of my children. Sometimes it’s silly stuff, other times it’s life-changing. It also gives you an open window into their hearts to see if there’s anything you need to circle back around to and help them process. Or maybe you’ll discover you need to process something a bit more.
related: New Year’s Time Capsule
Family Activity: New Year’s Goals Printable
Our “Reflection Day” has looked different in each stage of life. When my kids were younger our questions were shorter but we did include deep questions like some of the ones below. You’ll be amazed at their responses.
So many ways to enjoy these questions!
- Pick a night when you have time to share over dinner. Print out the printable and pick a fun meal or dessert. You won’t have time to answer all the questions so choose 10 ahead of time. Answer them while enjoying your meal or dessert that way it doesn’t feel as long.
- If you don’t have a lot of time, you can download the printable and cut out each question into strips and put them in a jar to answer at meal time throughout the first couple of weeks in January.
- You can also choose a few questions and journal through them. Make a Reflections Journal and each year add your responses.
Download printable HERE–>: 30 Family Reflect day questions
30 Family Reflection Questions for the Dinner Table
- In what way did you grow physically this year?
- In what way did you grow spiritually or emotionally this year?
- Name 3 things you learned this past year.
- What were two adventures you enjoyed this past year?
- What do you want to do less of as a family this coming year?
- What is a movie you really enjoyed this past year?
- What do you want to do more of as a family this coming year?
- What advice would you give your parents?
- What is the title of a book you really enjoyed this year?
- What are 2 things you enjoyed doing with your family this past year?
- Did you make time to regularly connect with God this past year?
- How do you want to continue connecting with God or change it this coming year?
- What did you accomplish this past year that you’re proud of?
- Share how God showed up in your life this past year.
- What is something you did this past year to help someone?
- What was the biggest time waster in your life this past year?
- What was something challenging you experienced this past year?
- Name 3 specific things you were grateful for this past year.
- What does your family need to do more of this coming year?
- If you could go back and change something that happened last year what would it be?
- What’s something you did really well last year?
- What are 2 things you want to try this coming year?
- What’s one hard lesson you learned?
- In three words describe this past year.
- Who were your most valuable relationships with this past year?
- Share one or two of your favorite memories with your family this past year.
- What’s one thing that happened this past year that you think you’ll remember for the rest of your life?
- Describe your family in three words.
- What character struggle did you have this past year that you want to change this coming year?
- What’s a new skill or talent you learned this past year?
