For many of us, the New Year is the ideal time to take stock of our lives and fix what is troubling us. And it’s not just adults who can benefit from making New Year’s resolutions. Making resolutions – and sticking to them – can help teach our kids about being motivated and self-disciplined. Learning about setting goals and finding ways of achieving them will help them later in life.Encourage your kids to have at least one resolution and then support them in keeping it.
Make sure their resolutions are realistic
There’s no point in your child setting a goal of coming top in maths if there are several other kids who always do much better. Instead of competing against others, try to get them to improve their grades. Limit the number of resolutions so they are easier to accomplish and more meaningful.
Check they’re age appropriate
Your kids are going to give up easily if their resolutions aretoo tough. Make sure their goals match their abilities. For example, a preschooler’s resolution might be to put their toys away every night, while a 10-year-old might promise to dust and vacuum their room once a week. Older children can make their resolutions more personal – a teen might try to improve their hygiene.
Be specific
Instead of having a general resolution, get them to stipulate details. For example, their resolution could be to put their school bag away each day instead of leaving it in the middle of the kitchen. The more specific the goals, the easier it is to achieve them.
Have family resolutions
Come up with resolutions you can do together, such as agreeing to go for a family walk once a week, recycling all of the plastic or drinking more water. Make it a family tradition.
Be a good role model
Your kids are more likely to make the effort to stick to their resolutions if they see you following through on yours. If you are struggling, be honest about it, but let them see you coming up with different ways of trying to achieve your goal. This will help them understand the importance of persevering.
