For many of us, the New Year means it’s time to take stock of our lives and fix what we don’t like. Whether it’s our diet, exercise routine or tendency to procrastinate, there is always room for improvement in the coming year.
Almost half of all adults make New Year’s resolutions, but January is the perfect time for people of nearly any age to reflect upon the past year and to start good habits or break bad ones. While we all benefit from making resolutions, our children can also learn a lot about self-discipline and the value of making goals. Help them focus on realistic targets with results that can be tracked, such as reading for 20 minutes a day, or learning a new sport this year.
Parents magazine has some great ideas how to frame your conversation with the kiddos surrounding positive ways to help them make changes. To give you some ideas, here are eight easy resolutions your kid can make this year:
- I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day.
- I will find a sport (like basketball, soccer or tennis) or an activity (like jumping rope, riding my bike or dancing) that I like and do it at least three times a week.
- I will improve my reading … by reading 20 minutes every day.
- I will help out in my community through volunteering, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.
- I will drink eight glasses of water a day.
- I will try one new food every month.
- I will help to cook dinner at least once a week.
- I will learn a new hobby or skill this year (such as a foreign language, knitting, yoga)
