New Year resolutions for kids: Talkin’ bout a resolution revolution?

New Year resolutions for kids: do we do them?

I don’t do New Year resolutions; but does that mean that we can’t do new year resolutions for kids?

The reason I don’t do them is because I feel that I always end up breaking them, and then I feel terrible because I didn’t manage to do them; so they actually end up making me, and probably everyone else that does the same, feel a bit naff about the start of the year.

I probably pick ones that are just too impossible to achieve given my willpower, total manic life, and the amount of cake we have in the house (ahem)…so perhaps if I just decided I would do something simple I would actually manage to get that success I crave?

If I struggle with them, does that mean that kids shouldn’t do them either because then they will feel bad if they don’t manage to keep them too?

If an adult can’t quite muster the resolve around a resolution, then surely the kids won’t be any different – particularly the younger ones. What would a resolution teach your child anyway? Resolutions are all about a new start for the new year I suppose; which is why so many adults go for the “going on a diet”, and the “doing more exercise” shenanigans….

Neither of which are really that appropriate for kids of the age this site is aimed at (under 10s)…

What do New Year resolutions for kids teach anyway?

Could New Year resolutions teach our children how to stick at something, or are they in danger of giving them the same disappointed feeling when they don’t manage to achieve?

Perhaps the trick is to pick a resolution for the kids that is actually going to be easy for them to do, but then, what’s the point in doing that?

It might perhaps give them that sense of achievement, but if it was easy anyway, that feeling will be rather short-lived. If its an intangible resolution, such as trying harder at school, how do you measure success in it anyway?

I would have thought resolutions for toddlers are rather like Rice Crispie cakes; easy to make, but gone rather quick!

Resolutions for younger primary school children would need to be clearly defined and easy to measure the success of. Perhaps something along the lines of making sure they get all their homework done and handed in on time? Or helping with the jobs at home with the aid of one of our chore charts, simple jobs though like making the bed, or putting away clothes, rather than expecting a seven year old to wash the car!?!

If you do want to encourage the tradition in your child, make sure that you know what you are going to do if they don’t manage to keep their resolve….its not easy for adults when that happens. If New Year resolutions for kids fall by the wayside, they might just need an extra special cuddle!

What do YOU think? Should younger kids be making New Year resolutions? And if so, what are your kids resolving to do?

Are you making any resolutions? If you are, perhaps we can help with a reward chart for trying to stop mummy shouting at children; just build a behavior chart as normal using the “no shouting” star we have, but use your picture and name instead of your child’s!

Image above courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Helen

Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!

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