I tried asking my youngest four children what their new year's resolutions were going to be for 2013. They didn't understand what resolutions meant, so I explained that resolutions were just goals. I
had to explain that goals were things they wanted to achieve or learn
during the year.
I found that they really weren't interested in learning anything new or setting goals for bettering themselves. As far as they were concerned, that kind of stuff was boring. I had to drag some goals out of them and then work with them on what it actually meant. Cameron still doesn't really understand them, but I didn't have to drag anything out of him because he had ready answers for what he wanted to do this year.
Isabella got a new bike for Christmas and has only had her first two lessons on riding a bike without training wheels. She is doing well but has a lot further to go still, so I was a little surprised that she didn't mention it as one of the things she wanted to achieve.
If your children are ten years old and/or younger, do they understand the concept of making goals? And do they like the idea or have things already in mind for them?
photo taken by Fyfe Photography (many years ago)
Here are the answers they gave me:
Gabriella (10 years old):
"I want to earn more money from my shops." (I asked her how she planned on doing that. She answered:)
- "drawing and adding new designs to my stores"
- "letting more people know about my stores"
(Her stores, with her designs on gifts, can be found at:
Through Innocent Eyes (Printfection)
Through Innocent Eyes (Zazzle)
Gabby's Art and
Gabriella's Art
Isabella (7 years old)
"I want to be a hairdresser and a writer." (I asked her how she planned on doing that. She answered.)
-"practicing cutting hair" (getting old wigs from second-hand shops, old Barbies, or, when allowed,
practicing on Cameron)
- "writing more stories"
(Bella's series of fairy stories can be found on her Tangle Fairies blog.)
Connor (6 years old)
"I want to get better at my video games." (I told him I am not accepting that as a proper goal, so I talked him into agreeing to this variation on it:)
"I try not to throw tantrums when I can't reach levels in my games"
Cameron (4 years old)
"I want to learn how to jump over houses." (Not very practical, so I asked him for one more. He answered:)
"I want to learn how to read all by myself." (Now this one I can help him with!)
What are your children's goals for 2013?
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