{"id":447,"date":"2020-12-21T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.destinationsitters.com\/blog\/?p=447"},"modified":"2023-07-23T08:08:57","modified_gmt":"2023-07-23T15:08:57","slug":"new-years-resolutions-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.destinationsitters.com\/blog\/new-years-resolutions-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Making New Years Resolutions for You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"new-year-resolutions-for-kids\"
New Year Resolutions for Kids<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve all made New Years resolutions\u2026and miserably failed at\nkeeping them.  Not achieving goals and\nresolutions we set for ourselves can feel frustrating and defeating.  Helping your children learn how to create and\nachieve goals is an essential life skill. However, it is one we often struggle\nto teach because we struggle to accomplish this ourselves. We came up with some\nsteps to help you (and your kids) make resolutions you can actually keep!  This process looks different for everyone but\nhopefully these steps will be helpful in developing a process that works for\nyou and your family.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Learning how to set goals for ourselves and plan to\naccomplish them is a skill that children should begin developing at a young\nage.  Goals for children can be simple, such\nas learning to write their name, or more complex, such as learning to play an instrument\nor train for team tryouts.  They should\nbe age appropriate and should stem from their interests and ideas. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why do we struggle so\nmuch to keep our resolutions? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When we make a new resolution or goal, we often try to make\na quick change far beyond our normal daily routines and habits. Developing\ngoals that rely on small changes you can build into your daily routine are much\neasier to achieve. It is not that those goals involving large, sudden changes\nare impossible to keep \u2013 it is just difficult to make drastic changes when our overall\ndaily demands remain unchanged.  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to teach our kids how to make obtainable\ngoals. Success in meeting goals can help build confidence, a sense of\nself-sufficiency, and feelings of achievement. Additionally, learning how to\ncontinue to work toward goals when falling short helps develop problem solving\nand perseverance.  However, it\u2019s\ndifficult to teach a skill we struggle with ourselves. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How do we make resolutions we can keep?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Make your\ngoals simple and realistic. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to be more active and healthy but don\u2019t\ncurrently exercise regularly, striving to run a marathon in 3 months probably\nnot a realistic goal. Odds are, it would be a struggle to make time for it, become\noverwhelming, or result in injury.  If your\ngoal is to save more money, deciding to put 20% of your income in savings when\nyou\u2019ve struggled to save is a huge jump. \n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not that you can\u2019t save money or can\u2019t be healthier \u2013\nit\u2019s that your parameters need to fit into your normal life. To begin making an\nobtainable goal, think about what is realistic for you.  Your goal can be as simple as \u2018I want to be\nmore active\u2019 or \u2018I want to save more money\u2019. \nIt can also be more defined such as training for a 10km race or saving up\nfor a trip. Whichever it is, avoid making lots of parameters at first. Think\nabout what you want to achieve in the big picture, and later in the planning\nprocess, you will develop more specifics for your goal. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Give your goal a purpose and an endpoint<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What is the purpose of your goal? Why is it important to\nyou?  Is it to increase your fitness?\nGain more knowledge? Challenge yourself? \nWhen you feel discouraged or things don\u2019t go as planned, keeping this in\nmind helps you keep motivation and focus. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t, develop a final achievement for your goal that shows you met it.  It should be something measurable and defined. If your goal is to save more money this year, what would be the specific amount that would indicate you achieved that goal? Or your goal could be to be more active, what would that look like (going to the gym 5 days a week, being active 30 min every day, etc).  If it is learning a new language, what would indicate success \u2013 having a comfortable conversation, or reading certain book in that language? Make sure the endpoint reflects your goal\u2019s purpose.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Give your\ngoal a timeframe. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Give yourself a realistic \u2018due by\u2019 date for your goal. Multiply\nthat timeframe by 1.25.  You will have a\nslight overestimate, which is a good thing. \nIf you overestimate too far, you may lose drive. Underestimate, and\nyou\u2019ll experience a sense of discouragement. This gives you enough flexibility\nfor the wrenches that get thrown into life, and a confidence boost if you\nachieve your goal faster than anticipated. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Step<\/strong> 4: Create smaller, measurable objectives that\nbuild up to your goal. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Think about your \u2018pathway\u2019. What will it take to get there? <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If your goal is \u201cI want to start running\u201d, consider\nreasonable, measurable objectives that you could achieve.   A measurable objective would be something\nlike \u201cI will run 2 miles 3 days a week.\u201d If you want to simply exercise more,\nstart with an objective like \u201cbe active for 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week\u201d.\nOr, if you want to save more money, start with something like \u201cbrew coffee at\nhome 4 days this week, and put $5 (what I would have spent at the coffee shop)\nin my savings account instead on Friday.\u201d <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your first objective should be something you can achieve in\nthe next 2-4 weeks, or even sooner. You will create several of objectives to achieve\nyour goal. Objectives can be weekly or monthly – whatever makes sense for your\ngoal and timeframe.   <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Remember that the goals is to build new habits for long term\nchange, which involves acclimation.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Step 5: Map out your Resolution\nPlan <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Write the information from each step \u2013 your goal, \u2018trajectory\u2019\nor purpose for your goal, timeframe, and objectives.  We\u2019ve included a handy sheet for you to fill\nout the information. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Consider what the best times and days are to accomplish your\nobjectives. If your mornings are chaotic, you\u2019re probably going to struggle\nwith a 45 minute morning workout.  If you\nwork late on Thursdays, then it\u2019s not the best day to save money with cooking\ndinner at home.  Map out your objectives\non your calendar. You and your kids can plan out your New Year Resolutions\ntogether, and fill out a calendar for the whole family. Each day when your\nchild achieves their task for the day, you can help them check it off to see\ntheir progress. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations! You\u2019ve developed a defined, obtainable goal\nwith map of steps to make it happen. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you stick\nto your Resolutions? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Talk about it<\/strong>: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, talk about your goals and objectives with your family or friends.  Having a regular discussion builds motivation and helps you encourage each other. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Keep it visible<\/strong>: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Keep your calendar and objectives in a visible place so you have regular reminders. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Get back on track whenever needed:<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At some point, you or your child will probably start to fall of the \u2018resolution bandwagon\u2019.  This is part of the importance of smaller objectives. They show you that you haven\u2019t failed, because you\u2019ve made progress by meeting the small goals along the way.  Simply go back to the last objective you reached (or a little further) and start from that point. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Revise if needed<\/strong>: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Have a discussion with your family about what has made reaching objectives difficult.  You may need to break down objectives even further or rearrange the days you work on objectives.  Having this discussion – whether about your own goals or your child\u2019s – is extremely important for helping kids learn how to navigate the challenges of meeting their goals. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Meeting goals is often not an easy or simple process, modeling for your kids how to stick to your goals helps your kids developing perseverance, self-confidence, and skills for success.  Remember:  this is about making a lasting change that leads to growth and progress. It\u2019s a series of steps, not a \u2018pass\u2019 or \u2018fail\u2019.  <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Happy New Year! <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Other articles: New Year’s Resolutions for Kids <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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