Setting a New Year's resolution with your child

We hear ourselves saying it every year but this year really has flown by!

It's been a particularly memorable and rollercoaster year for many: We continued to perservere through the global pandemic and many recieved their COVID-19 vaccines, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their daughter Lilibet Diana this summer, the Queen marked her 95th Birthday; and Daniel Craig's final apperance in the globally renowned film series 007 James Bond, 'No Time To Die.'

We also sadly said farewell to a number of icons this year: HRH, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Barbara Windsor, Jessica Walter and so many more.

When a year comes to an end we naturally become reflective on the events of the last 12 months and hopeful for the potential of the next.

To start the year as we mean to go on many of us set New Year's resolutions; challenging ourselves to self-improvements to help make the next year more prosperous and meaningful.

As adults we are used to setting ourselves goals, but for children this may be an unfamiliar task.

Nonetheless you are never too young to work towards a goal; setting and achieving a goal is great for a child's self-development and will set them up for success in later life.

In seeing a goal through to the completion they will have demonstrated great focus, determination and commitment, all valuable life-skills, hence making the achievement of reaching that goal even sweeter.

Over the coming days, when you come to consider your New Year's resolutions, why not encourage your child to do the same and set one for themselves?

Here are some tips for setting a New Year's resolution with your child:

             - It needs to be SMART, that is: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely

The benefit of setting a SMART resolution is that it will be challenging, it will allow for their progress and success to be measured, and most importantly is within their reach.

           - You might want to consider a shared family New Year's resolution 

Keeping to a resolution is going to be a challenge but if you work together you can guide and support one another to stay focused.

And if your child sees you working hard to keep to your resolution this will inspire them to follow your example and do the same.   
 

          - Let them take the lead

Have an open discussion with your child about their interests and aspirations and come up with a resolution together based around these.

Perhaps their resolution could be to develop a skill which will help them attain a greater goal in the future or it may simply be something they are keen to learn or earn.

Most importantly their resolution needs to be something they will be willing to stick to, and it is in their interests to achieve.