A Note From Us: New. Fresh. Beginning. Redo. These are all words we have come to associate with the month of January. While I admit, I love a fresh start, sometimes it can be overwhelming to try and sum up your plans for the next 12 months that lie ahead. The best of intentions tend to fall by the wayside after a few weeks and we are left feeling guilty because we didn’t stick to the ‘resolution’ we made. I’ve learned over the years that resolutions are too broad for most children (and most adults). I would encourage that instead of resolutions, you set goals. Goals for yourself, goals for your kids, goals for your family, job, personal life, etc. What’s the difference? A resolution is typically thought of as something that is set in stone while a goal is something that is fluid. There are very few things in life that are ‘set in stone’ and we learn through the years to be fluid and flexible with almost everything. Apply that same mindset to your goals. It’s ok to change them, shift them, alter them, and move them. They are goals…not demands. Remember this when setting goals with your children. We want them to focus on achieving their goals and not falling short of a resolution.
Happy New Year, LBL Family
37 GREAT GOALS FOR KIDS
1. Read one book not assigned by a teacher (for younger kids you can read a book to them).
2. Make a first store transaction using their own money.
3. Read one chapter from a chapter book each night.
4. Sell an old set of toys to afford a new one you want.
5. Walk the dog for 20 minutes each day (or something from the family chore chart).
6. Win the Spelling Bee competition in their grade (or Science fair, math competition, etc.). 7. Earn a girl scout or boy scout badge.
8. Learn 1 new scale on an instrument.
9. Ask at least one question to a teacher, every single day.
10. Learn about a career path they’re interested in (astronaut, teacher, president, etc.).
11. Learn a new magic trick from start to finish.
12. Start work on a school project at least 10 days ahead of time.
13. Learn one new coding skill.
14. Learn a new crafting (like knitting stitch) or baking skill (like cake pops).
15. Write their first business plan for an idea.
16. Save money from one allowance pay cycle, to the next (in other words, for just one week of allowance, don’t spend it all).
17. Save up to buy a new video game.
18. Get in the top 10 sellers for a fundraiser at school.
19. Learn how to cook a meal on their own.
20. Learn three phrases in a different language.
21. Open a checking account.
22. Choose a charity to donate part of your allowance to.
23. Write a short story and submit it to a kid’s writing publication.
24. Take an online kid yoga class two times a week (like Cosmic Kids Yoga).
25. Write a song and record it on a computer.
26. Draw building plans for a treehouse.
27. Join a free stock market game for kids.
28. Create your own recipe and write it down (lots of experimenting, here!).
29. Write a letter to a congressman (or local leader) about a cause or something else that you’d like to see changed.
30. Shadow an adult at work.
31. Create a time capsule and bury it.
32. Write two times/week in a diary or journal.
33. Plan an epic Lego build and start the build.
34. Create a scrapbook of last year.
35. Track all of their spending for two allowance/chore pay cycles.
36. Complete one extra chore on the chore chart per week to earn money (negotiate with parents).
37. Write and send (with parent's help) a first letter in the mail.
*Goals obtained from the site Money Prodigy