The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Sharon at Mom of 6.
Am I the only one who feels that New Year’s resolutions are more for grown-ups than for kids? I mean- so many New Year’s resolutions tend to focus on issues involving our weight, exercise (or current lack thereof), reducing stress, becoming more organized, etc… it just feels more like an adult endeavor of self-reflection and goal-setting than something my kids should be interested in doing.
So at our house we have come with up with a different way of recognizing the start of a New Year with our children. Instead of making New Year’s resolutions- we make New Year’s predictions! During dinner on New Year’s Day, we go around the table, and everyone is asked to come up with as many predictions as they can think of for the new year. Some of them may involve things that the kids would like to / and think that they can achieve- such as “I will learn to ride my bike without training wheels” or “I will score three goals in a soccer game this year” or “I will learn to tie my shoes.” And some are more aspirational, such as “I predict that we will get a new pet”, or “I predict that I will we go on a trip to somewhere warm”….
I am the note-taker at these meetings, and I write down all of our New Year’s predictions, and then place them into a sealed envelope – which gets put away until New Year’s Day next year. The fun part is opening the envelope from the prior year, and reading what each person predicted and laughing about whether or not their prediction came true!
What do you predict will happen to you or to your family this year? Here are a few of mine:
- I predict my family will spend time settling into our new home! (We are actually moving the last week of December!)
- I predict that I will learn some new skills- such as how to reupholster furniture or how to maintain a koi pond (all related to the above house move!)
- I predict that I will start a (second) new blog next year- focused on family road trips- a true passion of mine!
Please leave us a comment today with your New Year’s predictions!
If you get a chance, I hope you’ll stop by to see me at Momof6 – a place where I write about organizing your home, using a family calendar, creating household routines, hosting at-home birthday parties, and holding a DIY summer camp! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter (@sharonmomof6), and Pinterest!
Chrissy says
What a great idea! Am not sure about new years resolutions as they tend to fall by the wayside quickly into the new year, but getting the family involved in predictions is a wonderful idea – and it starts to get children excited and thinking to the future which is a great life skill to have.
Closet Organizer Now says
I love this idea of predictions instead of resolutions! A new, fun twist on an old favorite!