Jan 1

Jan 1 Three great ways to help kids celebrate the new year

New Year’s Day suggests a new start. This can be a fun day to build some family traditions and help your kids create good habits. Here are a few ways to celebrate the last year and help your kids think about the year to come.

Have breakfast together and ask each family member to share their favorite family memory

Make the same breakfast each year. Kids love traditions and will look forward to it.
You were probably up late, so give yourself permission to eat breakfast late. Give your kids a small snack if breakfast is going to be later in the day.
You can keep it simple and special…Ideas:
Make pancakes (from a mix and just add water). Cook pancakes in shapes or add chocolate chips or blueberries to make them fun.
Prepare oatmeal or yogurt and have granola, fruit and nuts that the kids can add themselves.
Make a “toad in the hole”. Cut out a square in the center of a piece of bread, put in warm pan with melted butter, crack an egg in the center of the bread and fry.
Drink hot chocolate. Kids love to have their own special drink.
Be creative.
Use foods your kids like.
Let your kids help set the table or help you prepare the food.
Have fun!

Start a New Year’s top ten journal

Use a notebook and let kids decorate it or buy a cute journal.
Write the last year at the top of the page.
Brainstorm the memorable things that have happened during the last year. We add the good and the bad.
Decide on the top ten and make a list.
On the next page, write the New Year and have each family member share one goal they will work on. Write it down next to their name.
Have everyone sign their name.
Keep it short and have fun reminiscing!
We did this as a family and it is so fun to look back and see what happened each year and to see the kid’s signature change through the years. Toddler’s just scribbled on the page. It has become a true keepsake!

Do something active as a family

My kids have shared that they are sad we did not instill this in them as children. My daughter told me that her friends all run and exercise because they did it as a family growing up.
Be a good role model of what you want your kids to learn.
Go outside and kick a ball around, play Frisbee, go to the park or ride bikes if the weather permits. Go sledding or build a snowman if there is snow.
Remember you are instilling good habits
You are also creating a value of the importance of moving your body, being in nature and playing as a family.

Have fun, be a good role model and start the New Year with joy in your heart for the opportunity to raise beautiful human beings!