If you have listened and taken note over the last year on things your kids would like to do, perhaps it’s time you sat down with them and made a list on their 2018 New Year’s resolutions. Just because they aren’t the ones carrying the weight of life’s responsibilities on their shoulders doesn’t mean they don’t have the inkling to want to break through old boundaries. Perhaps they want to learn some new skills, or to reach into the unknown!

Depending on the age of your children, the resolution list will look as different as the personality of the child. Start with a list over a cup of hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun, and find out what makes them tick. Now may be the time to explain what a resolution is, too. Also, keep in mind that their resolutions may involve you!

Divide and Conquer

New habits aren’t formed overnight, nor are they formed after one month.

Be realistic, and share with your child that new habits take 100 days to lock into place. If they can conquer one new resolution after 3  months’ time, then they are on the right track. Divide their goals and set each one up to be achieved within a few months or a quarter of a year, one at a time. Be gentle, and be realistic. Taking the time to dream and be a kid is important, too!

Staying on Track

The toughest part of any resolution is sticking to it. Rather than relying on technology to send reminders, why not draft up a simple chart and keep it on the fridge, where everyone will see it daily? Have them write down each time they contribute to their resolution, and watch the list grow.

When the list seems to be lagging a bit, remind them of their goals, and how satisfying it is to see their achievement written down. For younger children, nothing gets them more motivated than seeing a crop of sparkly stickers grow in a line! Help them along with little reminders of what they’re achieving.

A Touch of Academia

In an age where children are spending so much time at school, and so little time with their family during the school week, we recommend steering your child away from a resolution that entirely involves school work.

Perhaps something like 15 minutes of reading a day would be a solid resolution, or setting the goal of finishing a new novel in 6 weeks is a goal enough. Post a print-out calendar on the fridge and pick up some of those aforementioned star stickers. Each day they read for 15 minutes aloud, they get a sticker!

At the end of 20 reads, perhaps a trip to the cupcake shop will keep them on track for the following month.

Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

If your child has had the desire to learn how to fish, but you’re not a fisherman, maybe this year’s resolution is to reach beyond your own know how, and ask for some help. Step into the unknown together and see about finding classes or a workshop for your kid, to make sure she has the skill set she needs.

If the workshop requires payment, this could be a good opportunity to teach them about earning money. Have a handshake over the agreement that for every week they attend fishing camp, they will vacuum your car or craft the payoff to suit your family and it’s needs.

Don’t just add their resolutions to your weekly schedule and budget. Be sure to include the importance of gratitude and earning that should come from any new endeavor that requires time, money, and energy.

Make a Resolution Together

How amazing would it be to achieve a resolution together? Maybe it’s something like attending a yoga class together once a week, or making a commitment to running a 10K at year’s end.

If you’ve both wanted to learn how to camp but just haven’t done it, perhaps it’s time to go, together, into an outdoors store and ask all the questions together.

Another way to tackle a resolution together is by purchasing the same book, and reading together what you hope to learn or make happen. This could be something like becoming bakers. Perhaps you each buy the same cook book, and trade off recipes every other week. This could then culminate in taking a baking workshop together every quarter.

The possibilities for growth are endless. Have fun resolving and growing, together!