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A lot of us already know that New Year Resolutions come hand in hand every time a new year comes. But did you know where New Year’s resolutions come from? According to History.com, it is believed that the first New Year's Resolutions were made nearly 4,000 years ago by ancient Babylonians!
And if you think New Year’s Resolutions are only for adults, no, it’s not! Because your kids can make their own too! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, New Year's Resolutions can actually be an effective motivator for children. Read on and you’ll be surprised by how many benefits your kids can get from making their own New Year’s Resolutions!
Adults may easily understand what New Year Resolutions are; however, for children, it may be confusing. But with a simple explanation, it will be easy to understand! Simply explain that resolutions are goals that you must set and commit to and that the new year is an exciting time to do so because it represents a new beginning.
Now surely, New Year is a time for celebrating with your friends, and loved ones, and also a good time to look back on the memories and achievements you had from the past year. But again, we must not forget that New Year is a great opportunity to teach kids how to set goals too! It is indeed the perfect time to set new goals and make resolutions for the year that has come.
According to pediatrician Dr. Steph Lee, setting goals is important for children and resolutions as it can help kids make good decisions, build self-confidence, and improve troubleshooting skills.
"Especially if they have trouble with reaching their New Year's resolutions, then you can help them figure out how to adapt and persevere in order to reach their goals," Dr. Lee explained. “Make sure you try to encourage sticking to your goals/one way is making sure to write them down somewhere so they’re physically visible. Also making sure that they’re actually achievable”, Dr. Lee added.
It can also help teach kids important life skills such as:
Now that you understand the importance and benefits of making New Year's Resolutions for your kids, let us now proceed on to making their own resolutions.
According to Jennifer Kolari, a parent and child therapist and author of Connected Parenting, the first step is to listen. "Ask them what they want for themselves. If it's your agenda that's driving the conversation, you're not listening."
The key to getting your kids’ commitment to making their resolutions is by involving them in the process of making so. You can have them sit down and discuss what happened in the previous year and encourage them to think about what they want to achieve or change in the coming year. Ask them what their goals are and how they intend to accomplish them. You can get them started by mentioning a few scenarios and working your way through them.
According to Christine Carter, Ph.D., author of Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents, and a teacher for an online class on helping kids develop happiness habits, "We don't want to teach our kids it's about making a huge list of resolutions and not following through." "So help your child narrow them down to a couple of things to focus on," she added.
Adults, might set large, ambitious resolutions at the start of the year which is not recommended for kids as we do not want them to feel overwhelmed and give up. It is very important to keep resolutions attainable for kids. Help them in setting simple, attainable goals that they can work toward throughout the year.
It is important for parents to practice what they preach. "Do you believe in, make, and keep resolutions?" asks Robin Goodman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and art therapist who has written books on children and stress. "You have to walk the walk and talk the talk to be most effective."
Make everyone in the family sit down and make their own resolutions! Everyone can enjoy and benefit from this activity. You can share your own resolutions with your kids, which will encourage them to do the same. When it comes to making new year's resolutions, you can be a role model for them! Remember that you can turn their resolutions into enjoyable activities to help them stay motivated. We don't want them to think of their resolutions as chores that can easily be forgotten or neglected.
According to Meg Cox, author of The Book of New Family Traditions: How to Create Great Rituals for Holidays and Everyday, "Present it optimistically: Every day's a new day, and you have a chance to reinvent yourself. A lot comes from your tone. If you're putting it in a punishing, preachy way, they'll be turned off.’’
When writing resolutions, it is necessary to use positive language because we do not want them to be discouraged by using negative, sermonic words. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of achieving their goals and the benefits they will receive. For example, “I will help more around the house by cleaning up my toys and putting them where they belong’’, rather than ‘’I will not be lazy anymore.’’
The theory known as "the Progress Principle," developed by Professors Amabile and Steven J. Kramer at Harvard Business School, proposes that the concept of small wins adding up to bigger ones boosts a person's positive emotions, motivates them to move forward, and gives them the sense of accomplishment that they are making progress in meaningful work.
It is essential that they keep track of their accomplishments and progress as they set their goals. You can tell them the improvements that you have noticed like "You got better in reading now than a month ago" or "You have started eating more vegetables now than before". It is important to acknowledge and celebrate the progress that your kids make toward their goals. Why? Because this can help them stay motivated and driven to continue working on their resolutions.
It is also important to note that if your kids are not doing well with their resolutions, it is okay to scale back, change the goals, and explain the importance of trying their best. Let them know also that not being able to practice their resolution for a day or two is not considered a failure. There’s no harm in trying again and moving on. Remember that you are there to support their progress and not to impose perfection on them. You can meet with them once a month to discuss each other's progress. Remember to refrain from nagging.
Now that you know how to help them make their own New Year’s Resolutions, it is also necessary to know what a good resolution looks like. A good resolution follows the SMART guidelines. Each resolution has to be:
Still lost on how to make New Year’s Resolutions for Kids? Read on for some ideas for your kids’ new year’s resolutions.
That's all there is to it! Hopefully, these suggestions will assist you in guiding and helping your kid in making their own New Year's Resolutions. Again, don't forget to turn their resolutions into enjoyable activities! Have a wonderful new year!