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Setting goals together can strengthen bonds between school-age children and parents.

When the new year rolls around, it’s typical for adults to set fresh goals for the 12 months ahead, but what about kids? Don’t leave them out. Children may not be able to stay up until midnight to ring in the new year, but it’s a good idea for them to partake in goal setting at the top of the year too. Making New Year’s resolutions together is a fun, bonding activity that you can do as a family.

“Goal-setting gives children and teens a sense of responsibility and purpose,” says Lauren Mosback, LPC, NCC, a Philadelphia-based licensed professional counselor who specializes in child and teen mental health. The My Sister’s Super Skills author adds, “As children and teens begin to form their identities, it is important for them to feel positive about themselves, their interests, and achievements. Creating and attaining goals gives children direction, motivates them and contributes to a strong belief in oneself and the knowledge that they can make a difference.”

Setting intentions and sticking to them can teach young people valuable lessons that will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives.

“With goal-setting, children have the opportunity to engage in self-reflection, explore interests and passions, develop decision-making skills, enhance self-awareness, develop a sense of purpose, strengthen identity and increase self-confidence,” says Mosback.

Let’s face it, many adults abandon their resolutions after a few short weeks. Worried that your child may do the same? Don’t be. Mosback suggests, “If parents see their children are struggling to work toward their resolution, the best strategy to increase their motivation would be for parents to model action steps toward their own resolution.”

From preschoolers to high schoolers, we’ve compiled a list of resolutions for kids of all ages. Plus, we’ve included a few that the entire family can do together.

Whether it’s improving in school, doing more chores, or spending more quality time with loved ones — achieving these goals can be overwhelmingly satisfying, boost confidence, and strengthen bonds.

Here are some tips for setting age-appropriate resolutions for a healthier, happier year.

Establishing good habits with children while they are young sets them up to have good habits in adulthood. Making New Year’s resolutions is the perfect jumpstart. If your child is too young to fully grasp what resolutions are, be sure to explain it to them in a way that they’ll understand.

“Parents can start talking to children about goals by looking at goals the child has already accomplished,” says Mosback. Do they brush their teeth? Can they ride a bike? Have they learned how to tie their shoes? Can they swim? Find something they have already accomplished and talk to them about the steps it took to get there and how good they felt when they achieved that goal.”

For school-age children, making resolutions can be a fun learning experience. “The most important factor in creating goals is to not have the focus around something that is wrong or fixing a problem,” says Mosback. “The focus should be on adding more meaning and value to your life and on the process of reaching a goal. This mindset promotes more mindful decision-making, which allows the focus to remain in the present, rather than only the future outcomes.”

Although teenagers are old enough to make their own resolutions, it is a good idea to introduce them to the idea of setting goals for the year. However, there are certain goals that shouldn’t be reinforced.

“Parents should be careful about more common goals centered around food and exercise goals,” says Carrie Jackson, MD, a licensed child psychologist in San Diego. “Goals that are focused on losing weight, changing body appearance, or altering food should be avoided as they can create unhealthy eating habits and body image. If your child does want to incorporate some more exercise, you can frame it in a way that is not focused on the goal to lose weight, but rather to try out new physical activities each week.”

Setting goals and resolutions that you can accomplish as a family will help strengthen bonds and hopefully create lasting memories. “Developing a family resolution can lead to more family-time and it can also teach kids the skill of teamwork,” says Mosback. “Developing and achieving a goal together as a family can be a bonding experience that draws the family closer as well.”

Karla Pope is a longtime writer, editor and blogger with nearly two decades of editorial experience. She’s written for a variety of outlets including Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, People, Parade, BET.com. WebMD, and more. Her coverage includes entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, parenting, and fashion content. If she's not exploring New York City with her two young children, you can find her curled up on the couch watching a documentary and eating gummy bears. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @BrownGirlGumbo

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