New Year's Resolutions For Kids
Many adults view the new year as a time to make a fresh start, and improve their lives through resolutions. But what about the rest of the family? After the ball drops, it's also a great opportunity to help the younger set lead healthier lives.
Whether your child is a newborn or a teen-ager, there are endless options for resolutions, says parenting expert Dana Lowey Luttway. Everything from: "I'll spend more awake time on my tummy" to "I won't use negative self talk." Of course, if you have a baby or toddler, these resolutions are something that, as a parent, you would want for your developing child. They're a bit young to execute their own reforms at that age, she adds.
Lowey Luttway has a round-up of suggested resolutions, and tips on how to get kids to stick to them.
Infants/Toddlers
- I will keep dirty and dangerous household items out of my mouth and play in clean area.
- I will sleep more, make fewer excuses at bedtime, and put myself back to sleep if I wake up.
School-Age Kids
- I will taste new foods, and that includes drinking lots of milk and water and limiting soda and fruit drinks.
- I will use my imagination more to dream up fun.
Adolescents
- I will engage in healthy activities like sports, music or art when I'm feeling stressed, instead of using drugs or alcohol.
- I will volunteer to help someone in need.
Dana Lowey Luttway is the mother of two, school-age boys, and the founder of Parentwise, a Web site that helps moms become entrepreneurs. She has also developed an on-air career as a freelance parenting-reporter.