Should kids set New Year’s resolutions?

A new year is upon us, and that often marks a time for people to reflect on where they’ve been and where they’d like to be in the coming years. But when it comes to setting year-long goals and putting in the actual work to make meaningful change, adults are slacking, according to research, which consistently shows that only about three in ten adults set New Year’s goals.

So if you made a resolution last New Year’s, you were already in the minority. For those who did, following through is even less common, with participation and commitment dropping quickly as the year progresses.

But those statistics apply to adults, what about kids? Experts say there are many benefits to children setting New Year’s resolutions. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to help kids set small, realistic goals, noting they build healthy habits, confidence and resilience. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child adds that goal-setting provides “positive stress” that strengthens coping skills.

“I don’t know if anybody has to have a New Year’s goal, but I think in general goals are good to help us keep on track and maybe make changes we’d like to make over time,” said Dr. Heather Winesett, a pediatrician at Aspirus Health. “So, just like adults, kids can benefit from that approach to their health and life.”

Before parents encourage their kids set New Year’s resolutions, however, they should probably look toward themselves first, according to Dr. Winesett.

“I think one of the best ways for parents to start any conversation is maybe by modeling what they’d like to see their kids do and extend that invitation to their kids to see if they’d like to participate,” Dr. Winesett said.

While resolutions can be made at any time, the start of a new year simply serves as a natural reminder.

As far as how to start, Dr. Winesett suggests looking at everyday life in a few broad areas and choosing one small, realistic goal in one of the following key areas:

• Diet: If your child usually eats vegetables with dinner once or twice a week, try adding one more night.

• Exercise: If your family gets outside for a walk once a week, aim for twice.

• Sleep: If bedtime tends to drift later than planned, try moving it up by 10 minutes.

• School: If your child reads after dinner one or two nights a week, aim for three.

• Home life: If chores are hit‑or‑miss, choose one simple task to do together each day.

• Relationships: If playtime with a sibling or friend happens occasionally, try setting aside 20–30 minutes once a week.

It all starts at the beginning: setting realistic, acheivable goals is perhaps the most crucial part of succeeding in a New Year’s resolution. Research shows that nearly 90 percent of resolutions often aren’t successful because people try to tackle too many at once.

“We all tend to break our long-term goals or slip up under certain circumstances,” said Naomi Sadeh, a psychology professor at the University of Delaware, in a univeristy report. “So if you’ve had a really stressful day or you’re very tired — those sorts of environmental situations can make it more likely that we’ll do something impulsive, like break our diet, for instance.”

When it comes to kids, even smaller and even more practical is a good approach.

“What we’re looking for is small, sustained change,” Dr. Winesett said. “Even a one percent change in our trajectory over time can put us in a completely different spot a year from now ... we’re trying to grow a person over the course of 20 years, or 80 years, or 100 years. What we really want to do is small changes that set us on a good trajectory for a lifetime.”

Above all else, Dr. Winesett said, keep it light.

“Just be kind to yourself,” she said. “There’s no right or wrong, we’re not trying to get to any one specific place; we’re just trying to be a little bit better every day — and some day’s you’re not going to be better, and then you can just start over again tomorrow.”

In the end, resolutions aren’t about perfection. They’re about progress. By keeping goals small, realistic, and fun, families can turn the New Year into a chance to grow together.

“It doesn’t have to be overwhelming,” Dr. Winnesett said. “I’d say just have fun, be curious, do this together as a family and see where it takes you.”