New Year’s Resolutions
January is always a good time to consider what we could improve from last year for the upcoming year. At Crawford Childcare in Glanmire we also encourage the children to talk about what they could do in the preschool environment to help themselves and to help their peers. By involving the children in deciding their own New Year resolutions they become more motivated and confident. This is how they take ownership of their goals and learn to plan. The process of starting and completing something provides the child with a sense of achievement.
These resolutions should be simple in task and achievable. Examples of such for pre-schoolers would include; tidying up their work when they are finished, helping their friends tidy up, sharing their toys with their friends, listening more to the people around them.
As parents and teachers, it is important that we lead by example. A good idea is that we as adults make our own resolutions and share them with the children. Examples for teachers would include to become healthier and be more active. During the first few weeks the teachers could remind both themselves and the children of their resolutions.
Remember to check in with the children on how they’re doing. Achievements should be acknowledged. Perhaps if there has been a lot of lapses you could reconsider the resolutions to make them more manageable.
Making resolutions with your children can be fun and exciting, a time for growth and change, and an opportunity for family bonding.