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We’ve heard all of the typical resolutions before… I want to lose weight, I want to quit smoking, I want to run a marathon… but what about resolutions that kids can make? Adults aren’t the only ones who want to make positive change in the new year, but sometimes, we get so caught up in our own resolutions that we don’t even know where to encourage our kids to begin. Here are a few ideas:
Be more active! Adolescents need to be active 60 minutes or more per day, physically, but with less time being spent in gym and recess, it’s important that kids are getting active on their own. One great resolution to set is to aim for that 60 minutes per day of active, on their feet time. So, switch off the video games and switch on the activity! Some ways you can encourage your kids to be active? Try a sport or game together, find them an activity at one of the awesome local rec centers, check out fun active tools like the LeapFrog LeapBand
Learn to love a new food. Picky eater? One great way to encourage them to be less picky is to give them opportunities to try more! Kids can learn to love a new food, so cooking together, visiting a farmer’s market, or making a goal to pick one new food a month (or week!) at the grocery store can be a great way to stretch them out of that comfort zone and into new foods.
Explore a new hobby. Maybe your child has been interested in a foreign language but hasn’t made the leap, or likes the idea of knitting but just won’t take the time. Encourage your child to pick one new skill or hobby to invest time in and work hard on, and give them the tools and interaction needed for them to accomplish that goal.
Get better grades. This is a big one for a lot of kids who are struggling. It may mean that they need more one-on-one time with you as a parent during homework time, or it may mean looking at a local tutor, but getting better grades can be a family effort. However, it makes a great new years’ resolution for students who know they can do more, but just haven’t figured out why they’re not getting the grades they desire.
Declutter! Do you constantly nag your child to clean their room? Encourage them to choose cleaning as a new years’ resolution. Perhaps it can start with getting rid of things they no longer want, need, or use. One way to encourage a purge? Help them list the items online, like on VarageSale or Craigslist, and let them pocket the cash for what they sell to put towards a bigger (less cluttered) goal item. (Of course, use your judgement and don’t let your child meet strangers to sell items– this is a great place for parental involvement in the decluttering task!)
Do you see a New Years’ Resolution that fits your child, or can you think of some I missed? Leave your idea in the comments below!
