How fast this year has passed us by, am I right? We are suddenly approaching 2023 at full speed and there’s no slowing down. The new year can bring up a lot of mixed emotions – a letting go, a new start. Today we’re going to focus on the ladder and how to share it with your children through the use of making New Year’s Resolutions.
In our FREE New Year’s Activity Book which you can download and print out using the link below this article, we have some great ways to help children reflect backward and project forward. It’s a perfect time to incorporate these skills and lessons. For example, there’s a page that helps them think about their accomplishments in 2022, and another that’s a fun time capsule where they can track their own changes at the end of next year!
Ready to start thinking forward into the new year? Here are some ways you can engage your kids to help them set resolutions for the first time, or tips to help their resolutions stick better than last year. Let’s get into it!
3 Ways to Help Your Kids Make and Improve Their New Year’s Resolutions
- Be An Influencer
We all know how much kids absorb but oh, how often it slips our minds! It’s important to remember to BE the role model for our children. If you set your resolutions with your kids and attempt to fulfill them, they will have a much greater chance of following through with their own. Have a discussion with them about past resolutions you’ve made, the ones that worked and the ones that didn’t (and why). - It’s All in the Details
Researchers say that the best way to stick to a resolution is to make it with specific steps in mind. A broad goal has a sneaky way of slipping away quickly. For example, a broad goal might look like: “This year I want to learn to knit.” A lovely intention, however, it lacks the specific details needed to help it flourish. Instead, try saying, “This year I’m going to spend one night a week practicing knitting for at least an hour per sitting.” The more details that you incorporate to keep you accountable, the better chance you have of following through with them. Try helping your kids understand this and revise their goals to include more structure. - Set A Family Goal
Although we all must put in the individual work to keep ourselves at our best, we can set goals as a unit too. It’s a great way to teach kids the importance of teamwork, group decision making, and help them see that they have a “seat at the table.” Ideas for family goals can include spending more time together, learning a new group sport or activity, or improving certain components of your relationship. When you make it, be sure to write it down and put it somewhere you can all see it on a daily basis. Make it a tradition and log your years of progress (and even setbacks). Nobody’s perfect!
We wish you all the best of luck with your goal setting. Remember, it’s never too late to get started.
Take a look at our FREE New Year’s activity book to get your kids thinking and motivated.
Have any ideas for great New Year’s Resolutions for your kids, family, or self? We’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below or send us an email!
