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As the year comes to an end, it is time to celebrate our victories and learn from our mistakes. Evaluating the year’s events is not only important for adults, but for children as well. After all of the baked goods have been eaten and the confetti cleaned up, it’s a great time to sit down and help your kids make a list of goals for the New Year. Here are some ways to get started and get everyone on the right track.
Review the year
Sit down at the kitchen table and talk about all of the things each child accomplished and what they might be able to improve upon in the New Year. Make sure you call attention to all of the ways they’ve grown and improved from last year before discussing the areas where they need work.
Set small goals first
Just like adults, kids can be easily discouraged if their goals aren’t realistic enough to achieve. By setting one small goal, children will see immediate results and be more apt to continue their journey toward a larger goal.
Talk about why goal-setting is important
While your children might follow along with a goal-setting plan because you tell them to, it is important that they know the reason behind the activity. Setting goals, even small ones, is a skill they will use throughout their lives. Learning from their mistakes and working through setbacks to achieve a goal will help them to be more resilient later on.
Write down goals and post them
Not only is it important to talk about goals for the New Year, it is also important to write them down and post them where they can be seen on a regular basis. You can fill out a goal-setting worksheet or even help your kids create a vision board.
Jessa is the Editor-in-Chief of Hooray for Family and the mom of three energetic children. She has a BA in Mass Communication/Journalism from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and is a long-time resident of Central Texas. When she isn't writing and editing, she enjoys playing board games with her kids, teaching Sunday school and channeling her creativity into craft projects.
