Help your kid choose a New Year resolution and follow through with it
The beginning of a new year is a great opportunity for adults and kids alike to set their goals and intentions for the year. With a renewed spirit and a blank slate, it is easier to focus on forming new habits and finally trying out activities and hobbies that have been put off during the year gone by. Apart from setting new goals, it is also important to develop disciple and consistency to follow through with them. Read on to find out how you can encourage your kids set realistic yet challenging goals for the new year and help them achieve them.
Make resolutions together
Making resolutions with your kid can be a fun bonding experience. Having a companion in this activity will also serve as a motivation to develop more credibility and take goal-setting seriously. Sit down together and ask your child make a list of everything that he would like to accomplish or try out this year. Making family resolutions can be a great idea. One example is eating together at the dinner every evening without tech distractions. It is highly effective if parents act as resolution role models for their kids.
Help your kid choose realistic goals
The excitement of the new year can result in your kid preparing a huge list of goals which will overwhelm her come February. To avoid this, encourage your child to set realistic goals which are challenging but still achievable. For example, if you have a budding author at home, motivate her to inculcate daily writing in her routine during free time. However, do not set an unrealistic goal such as writing an entire book within the first few months. This would simply put pressure on her and discourage her from honing her skill for the right reasons.
Keep resolutions fun
Resolutions do not always have to be rigid, serious ones like running a marathon or winning the science Olympiad. Encourage your child to choose resolutions which are fun and enjoyable and motivate him to open up and step outside his comfort zone. For example, he could decide to spark up a conversation with a stranger at least once a week.
Suggest resolutions, don’t dictate them
Guide your child to make resolutions for themselves, don’t impose any on her. Being independent in this activity will allow kids to take ownership of their own goals and learn to create a plan for working towards them. Ensure that your input and suggestions are also communicated, but avoid making it an agenda-driven conversation.