New Year's Resolutions for Children

By Katy Alvarez - Paseo Kids Club Crew Member

Many adults think of the New Year as a fresh start and a time for new beginnings.

As we jump into 2021, a handful of us plan on setting goals or resolutions that involve bettering ourselves. Why not work towards benefiting not only ourselves, but also our families or children? There are many great resolutions that parents can help their children come up with in order to work towards growth and development in a positive way! When coming up with resolutions with children, it is important to remember to set goals that are reasonable and achievable. Here are a few simple, yet beneficial ideas for New Year’s resolutions for children and families:

• Acts of kindness: A simple act of kindness goes a long way! Whether it be using our manners, sharing, or a simple compliment, an act of kindness can really brighten a person’s day. One random act of kindness each day is a great resolution for not only children, but families’ altogether.
• Learning new vocabulary: You learn something new every day, right? Why not have that new thing be a vocabulary word! Learning new words can help children with development, and also help with expression and communication.
• Exercise: For our health and wellbeing, it is important to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. This is true for both children and adults, which is why exercising as a family is a great idea! Whether it be going on a walk, riding bikes, or playing an outdoor sport, families can work on this resolution together. Making this resolution as a family can also help keep accountability for one another and also promotes family time.
• Trying new foods: Trying new things is not always easy, but you never know what you are missing out on until you try it! However, many children do not have this mindset and it can be difficult to encourage this in a child. A great way to help push children to try new things is to lead by example. Also, it is important to never force a child to eat something they do not like because this leaves a negative impression on them.
• Cleaning up: Cleaning up after ourselves does not always come naturally. When it comes to helping children get into this habit, it is important to be consistent and encouraging when it is clean up time. It is not always easy to have children willingly clean up their messes, but ways to encourage this are to give them options and to clean up together as a family. If a child feels forced to clean or views cleaning as a punishment, this will discourage them from this act. Getting kids into the habit of cleaning up their own messes is a positive goal that benefits them in the long run.

Even one simple resolution can give children a good perspective on setting goals for themselves and teaches them how to persevere in order to achieve their goals. Cheers to new beginnings and have a happy and healthy new year!