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There's just something about a New Year's Eve that makes us want to completely change and improve, right? Chances are if your child has been paying attention to the adults around them, they too may want to make similar changes. It gets a bit tricky with young kids though, so it's important to recognize that anything they wish to change or aspire to in the new year, should provide some sort of instant benefit.
To ensure we're not setting them up for failure and damaging their self-esteem, we need to help kids approach New Year's resolutions with the proper mindset. Here are some ways to make attainable New Year's resolutions with your kids this year.
Why New Year's resolutions fail
According to U.S. News & World Report, over 80% of New Year's resolutions fail. One of the reasons they're so hard to keep is that we tend to focus on the wrong things when we set them. A resolution, much like a goal, must make our current reality better. It should bring focus and clarity to our daily lives — otherwise, we won't stick with it.
"The only value in goal-setting is that it improves the quality of your present moment reality," motivational speaker and author Steve Pavlina wrote on his site. "Setting goals can give you greater clarity and focus right now."
Pavlina argues that when setting goals, we need to ask ourselves how working toward the resolution will improve our current situation because we only live in the "now." "If a goal does not improve your present reality, then the goal is pointless, and you may as well dump it," he said.
How to help your child set New Year's resolutions they can keep
Let your child take ownership of the resolutions that are important to them. You may have some ideas that you think are great. Chances are, your child disagrees. Help your child brainstorm a few key areas you think they may need to work on. From there, if your child is old enough, they should be able to come up with solutions or goals to work toward. They will be more apt to follow through with implementing the changes needed to reach their goal or make changes.
Don't overdo it. Even as adults, we tend to go all-in right after the holidays. We set lofty goals for ourselves in the new year that are completely unattainable. Your children may be inclined to do the same. Try not to let that happen by suggesting they stick to two or three areas they want to work on.
The beginning of the year is not the only time when we can implement change in our lives. Make sure they're aware of this. Once they've mastered a new goal or accomplished what they set out to do, they can come up with new goals regardless of the date on the calendar.
Attainable New Year's resolution ideas for kids
Remember that resolutions should help improve your current situation. Remind your children of the why's around keeping resolutions, and be sure they understand the point of the goal. It's not about coming up with a list of random accomplishments to check off of a list. The following New Year's resolutions are perfect for kids. They teach personal responsibility while also helping to improve the day-to-day lives of everyone in the family.
Some easy New Year's resolutions for kids
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Resolutions around eating healthfully are popular. Ensure your child that making an effort to eat right will make them feel better, physically, now, and potentially keep them from getting run down and sick later.
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Making a resolution to keep a clean work space or keep their bedroom clean may seem boring to your child. Remind them, though, that keeping an uncluttered room could potentially improve their mood and focus. It could help them better concentrate on online classes.
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Resolving to make a better effort to get along with siblings is a great resolution for children of any age. Doing so creates a sense of peace and tranquility in the home. This relaxed atmosphere lends itself to more opportunities to create fun, family memories. Having parents who aren't on edge all the time is actually pretty cool. In that regard, everyone wins.
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Along those same lines, Bryanne Salazar suggests implementing a family resolution of sorts; a family constitution. "Starting with your family's mission statement, the document also details rules and consequences for breaking them. Not only can making and abiding by this document help unify your family, it can also be a good way to incorporate everyone's voice and ideas," she previously wrote on Mom.com.
Make sure your child realizes that New Year's resolutions are often simply about just making good choices. The snowball effect of positive outcomes as a result of those choices is just the icing on the cake.
Finally, when setting out to make New Year's resolutions with your kids, let them know that off-days are normal. New Year's Eve isn't the be-all and end-all. Be sure your child understands that they can get a do-over, anytime of the year, no matter what the calendar says.
