Right about this time of year, many of us are thinking about New Year’s resolutions. For most adults, it usually involves exercise, saving more money, or something as simple as bringing leftovers to work instead of buying lunch.

Do your kids talk about resolutions or goals? Resolutions can be big or small, what matters is making them realistic and setting yourself up to achieve them. For kids, it can involve keeping their rooms clean, doing chores without being told to, or creating a savings fund from a weekly allowance.

Kids.gov is a great, free online resource that provides a safe place for kids to learn and play. Here are seven tips from Kids.gov to help kids reach their goal.

7 Tips for Kids Making New Year’s Resolutions

1. Pick something that’s important to you.

2. Make your resolution specific. Let’s say your goal is to do better in school. Does that mean getting all A’s and B’s? Or does it mean improving your grades in math or science?

3. Make a plan you can stick with. If you say, “I’m going to study for two hours every day,” you may do it for the first week or two — then you may get bored, frustrated or too busy with chores and after-school activities. You want to give up.

Instead, you can say, “I’ll do my homework every day. On the days I don’t have somewhere to go (like sports practice or music lessons), I’ll study an extra 30 minutes. For tests, I’ll start studying a week in advance.” Some Kids find it easier to work to music so try out different methods to help your kids study more effectively.

4. Write your goal down and put it where you’ll see it every day, like on the refrigerator or your bedroom wall.

5. Tell your goal to someone, like your mom, dad or best friend. They can help support your goal.

6. Congratulate yourself for making progress, even if you don’t do everything perfectly or all the time.

7. Remember, it’s your resolution. If you quit, you can always start again — you don’t have to wait for next year!

For more ideas on resolutions and sticking with them:

• Your Secrets to Staying Motivated (for tweens and teens.)
• 5 Facts About Goal Setting
• Healthy New Year’s Resolutions for Kids

SOURCE: Kids.gov