4 Expert-Approved Tips For Setting New Year's Resolutions For The Entire Family

Resolutions are a time-honored tradition tangled up in the promise of change. As one year ends and another begins, New Year’s resolutions are in full swing. And while New Year’s resolutions are considered an adult thing to do, parents can include their kids in fun.

When research shows that as much as 63% of adults never even bother to make resolutions, and only 11% follow through to keep their resolutions, encouraging three-year-olds to make New Year’s resolutions may seem nonsensical.

According to Nuñez, parents can help their kids stick with it by modeling the behavior and making resolutions as a family. And when making resolutions, she adds there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

Nuñez adds that resolutions are limited to older kids and teens. While parents will need to explain a bit more about the process (perhaps phrasing it as setting a goal), the little ones can most certainly participate.

“I would start as soon as your child starts to do things on their own, like brush their teeth and clean up their room,” she says. “For example, a good New Year’s resolution for a 3-year-old would be to put away their toys before bed or brush their teeth.”

To help kids follow through, Nuñez says resolutions should be age-appropriate and attainable. 

Many people don’t think about it, but making a New Year’s resolution is only half the battle — more often than not, a good plan is just as important. 

As an example, Nuñez says, “Eating healthy or eating more veggies is a popular one for little kids.” And while that’s a great resolution, parents often forget to establish a plan to help their kids make it happen.