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Friends and family

New Year’s resolutions not just for adults

Children also can make improvements with parental support.

Healthy eating is a resolution for both adults and children.

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By Debbie Juniewicz, Contributing Writer Updated 1:45 PM Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Quit smoking. Start eating healthy. Drink less. Exercise more.

The new year means new beginnings for many people, but New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be limited to grown-ups.

“The new year is a fresh start and it’s a great time for families to take a look at the past year and see where they can make improvements,” said Stacy Flowers, pediatric psychologist at the Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. “For children and teens, making resolutions helps with self-discipline, goal setting and, when they are successful, improves self-esteem.”

According to Flowers, parents play an important role in helping their children decide on goals and successfully meet those goals in the coming year.

Setting goals

The first step is knowing your children. What areas can they work on? Where can they improve? Where will they see the biggest benefit?

The key, according to Flowers, is to come up with manageable accomplishments that are personally meaningful to your child. These accomplishments will vary greatly with age. A preschooler may take on extra tasks at home, your grade schooler might work on his math grade, and your soon-to-be college-bound teen can make plans to visit schools or finish college essays.

Maintaining a healthy weight and establishing healthy habits are increasingly common goals for children and teens.

“If weight is an issue, becoming more physically active is a great resolution,” Flowers said. “But that doesn’t mean exercising every day; three times a week is more realistic.”

Young children will likely need more parental guidance to set goals while parents can help older children and teens by getting them excited and invested in their resolutions.

Following through

Making the resolution is only the first step — keeping the resolution is where the real work comes in.

Young children might benefit from charts and stickers to document their progress and accomplishments. Older children and teens can utilize calendars or electronic documentation of their achievements. Parents can also use age-appropriate rewards to recognize their children’s successes.

“No matter how old you are, it feels so good to get something crossed off your list,” Flowers said. “And the absolutely best way to change behavior is to reward it instead of punish it.”

Flowers suggests having regular check-ins, perhaps monthly, to see how the resolutions are going. It could be as informal as a conversation at dinnertime.

“Ask how it’s going and see if there is anything you can do to help them,” Flowers said.

A family affair

If children are making resolutions, their parents should be as well. Those goals should be shared with the children so they are aware of what their parents are hoping to achieve.

“There’s a benefit to having the family sit down together and talk about goals and resolutions for the new year, and it’s particularly helpful if the parents go first,” Flowers said.

Children and their parents can serve as positive reinforcements for each other.

“That actually makes it fun for the children. They get really excited when they can point out something their parent isn’t doing right,” Flowers said.

The end of the year can be a time for the family to recount successes and realize areas that need improvement.

“Everybody has something they need to work on, so resolutions can become a family tradition,” Flowers said.

20 healthy New Year’s resolutions for kids

Preschoolers

I will clean up my toys and put them where they belong.

I will brush my teeth twice a day and wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.

I won’t tease dogs or other pets — even friendly ones. I will avoid being bitten by keeping my fingers and face away from their mouths.

Kids (5-12 years old)

I will drink milk and water three times each day and limit soda and fruit drinks to once each day.

I will apply sunscreen before I go outdoors on bright sunny days. I will try to stay in the shade whenever possible and wear a hat and sunglasses, especially when I’m playing sports.

I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week.

I will always wear a helmet when bicycling.

I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car. I’ll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.

I’ll be nice to other kids. I’ll be friendly to kids who need friends — like someone who is shy, or is new to my school.

I’ll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name or telephone number on the Internet. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without my parent’s permission.

Kids (13 years and older)

I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day, and I will limit the amount of soda I drink to one glass daily.

I will take care of my body through physical activity and nutrition.

I will choose nonviolent television shows and video games, and I will spend only one to two hours each day — at the most — on these activities.

I will help out in my community — through volunteering, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.

When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find constructive ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or discussing my problem with a parent or friend.

When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk about my choices with an adult I can trust.

When I notice my friends are struggling or engaging in risky behaviors, I will talk with a trusted adult and attempt to find a way that I can help them.

I will be careful about whom I choose to date, and always treat the other person with respect and without coercion or violence. I will expect the same good behavior in return.

I will resist peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol.

I agree not to use a cellphone or text message while driving and to always use a seat belt.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

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