Why do people set New Year’s resolutions for themselves?  Typically, it’s to better themselves through developing healthier habits.  Maybe the resolution is to eat a vegetable at every lunch and dinner, or it’s to read a chapter book each week, or maybe it’s to get 15 minutes of family exercise or outdoor play each day (in addition to other daily exercise).

Being successful at adopting a New Year’s resolution promoting a healthy lifestyle is worthy of praise, but being able to incorporate that success into everyday practice that lasts more than a couple of weeks or months is ultimate resolution realization.  Sharing this journey with our children role models positive New Year’s resolution making, attaining, and sustaining.  This year, take them on a New Year’s resolution journey with you so that you can pick and stick to a resolution that results in positive growth and/or change.  You may even enjoy some fun family bonding time as you go.

Tips to resolution success:

• Set the resolution together. If it’s a family resolution, get everyone on board by brainstorming ideas and working together to determine one or more resolutions.  An example of a fun family New Year’s resolution is increasing physical activity and healthy choices through Super Healthy Kids Get Fit Together calendar printable.  If your child is setting an individual resolution, you can assist in guiding your child to a resolution that is realistic and could result in success.  For instance, while “go swimming every day,” is an excellent idea for getting more physical activity, it may not be realistic in the winter months.
• Keep it simple. If kids are involved, encourage them to keep the resolution simple so that they can understand it and have the possibility to achieve it.  Simply setting a resolution to drink a certain amount of water each day for a child who doesn’t typically opt for water is simple and doable if the child is on board.  Adding a simple and fun activity each day can lead to success in having a healthier lifestyle.

• Allowing for input from everyone helps to motivate. If the family goal is to exercise more together and you are putting together your own Get Fit Together calendar, let everyone give ideas for activities.  Your 5 year old may want a game of red light, green light.  Your 12 year old may want to play capture the flag.  Mom may want to go for a family walk after dinner.  All of these are excellent ideas, and welcoming all ideas and praising input is motivating to family members.  It’s also motivating to track progress, whether it’s through putting an X over a completed box on a calendar or starting with a blank calendar and writing in activities as they are completed.  Discuss accomplishments, setbacks, goals, and more with each other to encourage and motivate.  A great time for this is at family meals.
• Attainable and measurable goal. Make sure that your resolution is attainable.  For instance, if your child wants to read more, help him set a realistic goal of reading a chapter of a book each day or at least one picture book per day rather than just saying, “I’m going to read more.”  For the Get Fit Calendar, add activities that work for your family.  Is it realistic to add ice skating to the calendar on a school day that is followed by dance lessons?  Probably not.  But you could jump rope or toss a ball together for 15 minutes and add ice skating to a day where you have the time to enjoy it.
• Be a role model. Adults should role model good attitude and effort towards attaining the resolution.  For example, an adult participating in a family hopscotch game is an excellent way to role model the importance of the goal of increasing physical activity.  If your child is trying to drink more water each day, role model opting for water rather than soda.
• Choose to have the mindset that your resolution journey will be an enjoyable experience so that making, attaining and sustaining your resolution can be a fun process.  For exercising together, explore all sorts of fun, silly, and creative exercises.  For other resolutions, such as reading a picture book each day, find ways to make it fun.  Does an adult need to read with the child?  Then use exciting voices.  Make visiting the library weekly to pick out a new set of books part of the resolution excitement.  Check out a used book store for gently used treasures.

Making New Year’s resolutions can be part of a cherished family tradition leading to bonding time and fun.  We wish you a happy and blessed New Year filled with family fun, togetherness, and good health.

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Keywords: Super Healthy Kids, Health/Wellness