New Year’s Resolutions For Kids?

Okay, maybe New Year isn’t the biggest, most interesting part of the holiday season for a kid. Most of them won’t (or shouldn’t) stay up until midnight, and they may already be all partied out from other festivities over the past month or two. In a lot of cases, it’s more of a grown-up thing.

Or is it? New Year’s Eve may not be on the same level as parties, presents and treats, but it’s still an amazing opportunity to ask some big questions, and have some great conversations.  

Here are a few starting points that’ll engage a little thinker:

·      Why does time seem to go faster when we’re having fun, like during the holiday season? Does time actually go slower and faster, or does it just feel that way to us?

·      Why do we celebrate holidays? What are holidays for, and why are they so important to us?

·      How does a person change from year to year? Are you the same person you were last New Year’s Eve? How do you know?

Making resolutions for the coming year may seem like more of a grown-up thing too, but it can be a really fun and enriching activity for kids. Encourage them to capture their plans and goals in a list, a video, a picture, or a collage. Of course their resolutions might be very different from those of the adults around them, but that in itself might make for some interesting conversation. The act of making resolutions invites all of us to think about what’s important, and why. In celebrating the beginning of something new, we have the chance to reflect on what it means to be successful in all areas of our lives. Even wee little kiddos can have big thoughts about this.

The very best part of opening a discussion with a child at the end of the holiday season is having a chance to pause and think together. It’s not only an opportunity to hear their thoughts, but it can set the tone for a very think-y new year!

Happy thinking, and Happy New Year!