As we prepare to welcome 2021, I thought I’d share some ideas for your family! 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 commitment to prayer, diet, exercise routine or tendency to procrastinate, there is always room for improvement in the coming year. We not only benefit from New Year's resolutions; our children can also learn a lot about self-discipline and the value of making goals. Here are some tips on how to help your kids benefit from making resolutions.
Make It a Family Activity The best way to teach your children the importance of New Year's resolutions is by making it part of the family tradition. Sit down each December and reflect on the past year, discussing your accomplishments and goals, as individuals and as a family. In your resolution conversation you can each talk about what worked this year and what didn't. Let’s focus on the positive, so that COVID-19 doesn’t define 2020! There are so many positives!
Dr. Benjamin Siegel, professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, suggests saying, "Each one of us is going to state a few things that we want to continue to do and things we'd like to change that would make us feel better about ourselves and how our family works." Each family member gets a turn sharing something they are proud of and something they want to improve. It may help for parents to go first, to give children a model. If your child is old enough to write, he or she should write down their accomplishments and goals, and you can help your younger child by writing theirs down.
Resolutions for the entire family might include taking a monthly hike, playing board games twice a month or committing to more volunteering activities. Try to limit the number so they are more doable and more meaningful. "A list of 100 things is impossible," Siegel says. “It should be based on things that are doable without economic hardship." This is the perfect time for each person to examine their commitments to their faith.
You can make a master list to hang in a public spot, like a bulletin board in the kitchen. Dr. Kathleen Clarke-Pearson, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, suggests making a resolution box, in which each family member can drop in his or her resolutions, then pull them out at a later date to review them.
If your family decides to set New Year’s resolutions together, enjoy your walk down memory lane and looking towards the future! Happy New Year! May your family enjoy good health and quality time together! Your partner in learning and faith, Mrs. Pahl, Principal