One annual tradition in families around the world is to set goals, or resolutions, on New Year’s Eve. If you and your family celebrate this tradition it is a great opportunity to start to talk to your children about how to set goal that are going to help them to achieve their personal objectives in life.

Goal setting is really a very complex endeavor and one that needs to be scaled down to an appropriate level for a child. Most children, even those that just starting school, can grasp the concept of having a goal and then developing a plan to achieve that goal when they focus in on one specific focus area.

Talking About Goals

A great option to help kids with goal setting is for parents, grandparents and other family members to talk about their own goals with children. This can be done in fun ways through drawing your goals or writing a story about your goals and why they are important to you.

It is critical to choose concrete, measurable goals so that children understand that these are not just wishes or dreams, they are attainable changes that they can control. Wishes and dreams are important too, but they are different than goals.

Making Family Goals Together

Moms, Dads and other family members that interact with the children can all come together and make group goals. Group goals for families are a real bonding experience and can highlight how a family works to support each other throughout the year.

Often family New Year’s goals focus on helping each other, spending more time together, or perhaps everyone agreeing to help out at a local charity or community organization.

The key is for parents to model goal setting in their own lives and talk to children about how goals help to provide measurable milestones and accomplishments in life. Kids should be encouraged to set goals that are meaningful to them and not necessarily the same goals that the parents may have for the child.

A great exercise is to then have the family share their goals and everyone else gives one way that they will help their family member achieve his or her goal. This is a positive and relationship building exercise that is a great way to start off a new year in any household.

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New Year’s Eve is a fun time to reflect on the year before with your children. Here a few ideas you can do or use them to get your own creative juices flowing:

• Create a book that you can print – these are a simple and fun task to put together. Include all of the fun things you did over the past year. Let your little one draw pictures that go with the activities they’ve done. These are also a good idea for early readers.
• Write a Poem – Use the letters in the word “New Year” and write a poem about things you’ve done over the past year.
• A New Year Essay – this is good for older children. Write an essay on the “The Best Thing That Happened to Me This Year Was…”
• Entertainment over the past year – Make a list of questions about your favorite movies, songs, books, television shows, websites, photos, activities and why you liked them.
• Keep the New Year In mind – make a list together of things you’d like to do, goals you’d like to reach in the new year. Include places you’d like to visit, books you’d like to read, things you’d like to learn, etc.
• Create a scrapbook: Use photos and memorabilia from activities you’ve done, trips you’ve taken or other fun things and put it all into a scrapbook that your child can look back on for years to come.

There are plenty of ways to create fun reminders of the past year. Use your own creativity to create beautiful memories with your children.

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Oftentimes it can be tough to work out an out-of-town vacation around the holidays. With so much activity going on, it may be easier to find things to do around your hometown and have a fun “staycation” with your family.

• Sign up for an activity you can do as a family, such as cooking lessons, tennis lessons or walking tours.
• Take the train. Many railway providers offer short times within an hour or two away. Pack a lunch, enjoy the scenery and make a fun day out of it.
• Look into bargain lake or beach rentals. With this being the off season for our area, you can stay local in your “staycation” and still get away.
• Visit an art museum. You can use the paintings, sculpture and creative works there to give your kids some inspiration. They can recreate their own favorites right at home with some paper, crayons or clay.
• Go camping. Find a local campsite or take up indoor camping! Pitch a comfy tent indoors, make blanket forts, get some flashlights and microwave some s’more!
• Go skating. If it has been a while since you last visited the roller or ice rink, why not head back?

Happy Holidays!

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The Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions of today are much more diverse than they were even a couple of decades ago. Many families have their own unique Thanksgiving traditions that may include the iconic turkey dinner and the wonderful pumpkin pie, but these traditions are actually very modern and have little relationship to the true meaning of this very special holiday.

Parents can help children, even young children, to understand the true meaning of the holiday while still enjoying all their own unique and individual Thanksgiving traditions. This can go back beyond the American celebration of history to include the harvest celebrations that were recognized in very ancient civilizations throughout the world.

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Make your skin glow with simple food tips:

85% of teenagers and around 50% of adults are affected by acne. There is overwhelming evidence suggesting a link between diet and skin health, and skin health can be improved tremendously by a healthy diet.

One good tip is to cut down on your intake of refined sugar. Even beverages we think of as being healthy tend to have a lot of sugar, which causes a rise in the production of androgen and fat hormones. Curb your sweet tooth by indulging in fruit smoothies, which both cuts down on your sugar intake and increases your intake of fruit.

Eating more fruits and vegetables is vital. They are high in a number of vital nutrients, antioxidants, fiber and phytochemicals that makes them great for the promotion of healthy skin. Plants contain antioxidants that fight free radicals and help to cut down not just on acne but on inflammation and even on signs of ageing.

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There are different season of the year that are associated with different aspects of character. As November approaches and the leaves begin to turn color and drift down from the trees it is natural to begin to think of thankfulness.

However, sometimes thankfulness is mistaken for manners. While both are important in their own way, by teaching thankfulness those “please” and “thank you” sayings are not just rote responses, they are meaningful comments that your child will say and truly mean.

The key to helping children to learn thankfulness starts with understanding just what thankfulness really is. Sit down and think for yourself how you define the word. For more of us as adults and parents thankfulness is more than just an emotion, it is a way of expressing gratitude for everything that is in our lives that is positive, supportive and pleasurable to us on some level.

To help your children develop the gift of thankfulness:

• Model being thankful for the gifts in your life both large and small. Use the words “I am thankful for ……” and explain why you have gratitude for the event, person or opportunity.
• Thank your children on a regular basis and be specific. Don’t just say “thanks” when they draw you a picture bur rather let them know how valued, special and cared for that picture makes you feel because they were thinking of you.
• Ask you children to share one thing that they experienced during their day that made them thankful. Perhaps they were thankful for an activity the family did together or a kind word from a friend.
• Encourage your children to recognize and thank others for help, support or encouragement. This could be peers, adults, family members or even people that help them in other events and activities.
• Make formal issues like thank you cards, emails or phone calls a family event, not just something that the children are expected to do.

Children can develop an attitude of thankfulness and gratitude with just a bit of encouragement and modeling from Mom and Dad. This is a wonderful gift to give your children and one that they will use throughout their life.

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It’s no secret that thankful children are happier and more polite, but raising children to be thankful for all they have is more important than making more pleasant kids – it’s about teaching them to be caring and sensitive to the feelings of others.

While some may feel that toddlers are a bit young to learn gratitude, children as young as 18 months can start to grasp that concept. They know that they are dependent on mommy and daddy to take care of their needs and those needs being taken care of make them happy and they begin to, even at that very young age, appreciate it.

Teaching children to be thankful can be done easily enough. They imitate the adults around them – especially parents – so be sure to use words like “please” and “thank you” often. Good manners lead to sincere gratitude. Here are few ways to teach your children to be thankful:

• Have your children help with chores and tasks around the house. Give your child a chore that he or she can handle and avoid the temptation to jump and finish it for them. By allowing them to do simple things around the house they learn to appreciate what we as parents do.
• Have your child help with a charitable project. This doesn’t mean take them to the soup kitchen on a regular basis. A nice project could be making a cake or soup for a sick neighbor.
• Teach your children, and encourage them, to be generous. If they have several old toys that they don’t play with anymore, or clothes that they have outgrown but are still in good shape have them donate them to Goodwill.
• Learn to say no. All of our children want something new every time we turn around. But we aren’t teaching them anything if we say “yes” to everything they ask for. Learning to say no for every request and only saying yes to special things will teach your children to be grateful for what they get and what they have.

Teaching children to be thankful can be tricky but it must be done in order to help them become better functioning adults.

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With the holidays just around the corner, many will be hitting the road with their little ones in tow. To help ensure your trip goes smoothly, we have a few tips below.

Be tech-friendly. A device such as a kid-friendly tablet or a DVD player with educational videos is the most compact form of entertainment when traveling.

Messes will happen. Don’t forget the baby wipes, shout wipes, cloths, sanitizer, Ziplock bags and plastic bags for clean-up purposes.

Fly early, drive late. Airline waiting periods are typically longer later in the day, so try to book an earlier flight. Traffic is lighter at night and your kids are more liable to sleep then, so look to leave later in the day if traveling by car.

Snacks! Most kids love snacks and they help to pass the time. Think easy munchies like cereal, crackers, granola bars, grapes, and bananas.

Pack extra clothes. You never know when an accident may happen.

Keep them engaged. Pack surprise new toys to help curb the boredom and give one to your child every hour or two.

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While in the United States Christmas and Hanukkah are the two most commonly celebrated holidays, there is also Kwanzaa, which is both a seasonal and a cultural celebration.

Throughout the world, there are many other winter events that celebrate the season. Families can always choose to add to the winter celebrations in addition to their usual holiday events, and this provides a great opportunity to learn about different cultures, people, and beliefs.

Different winter holiday events and celebrations around the world include:

• Los Posadas – originally a Spanish winter holiday, this nine-day celebration is now common in many Latin countries as well. A Christian celebration, there are processions of people traveling from home to home to pray, always carrying candles. The end of the night includes a feast and caroling as well as the tradition of breaking a festive piñata.
• Diwali – also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a five-day Hindu celebration that occurs sometime between November and December depending on the calendar. There are lamps lit in homes, and in many countries such as Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka have amazing firework displays and family celebrations.
• Winter Solstice- celebrated on the shortest day of the year, which is between December 20 or the 23 in North America, celebrations include the lighting of candles and bonfires as well as celebrating with families and friends. Winter Solstice celebrations date back to ancient civilizations and pre-date religious winter holidays, with roots going back to Neolithic times.
• Ramadan – the Islamic winter celebration, this is a month of fasting that is based on the appearance of the crescent moon. Today, colored lanterns are hung in cities to celebrate the time that the Quran was revealed to Mohammad. Different geographic areas celebrating Ramadan include different cultural practices such as carnivals, firecrackers and particular types of food to mark the end of the time of fasting.

Happy celebrating!

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Parents worry about their children; it’s a fact of life. Teaching them to be safe as they grow and explore is one of your most important jobs. But with so many potential threats to worry about, the task can seem overwhelming.

Here are a few basics to concentrate on:

• Discuss safety calmly. You want your children to be careful, not terrified. When you talk about safety matters, emphasize that your main concern is their welfare. Listen to their concerns, and answer their questions as clearly and honestly as you can.
• Highlight important information. Be sure your younger children know their home phone number and address, as well as contact information for another relative or trusted adult.
• Don’t just talk about strangers. Attacks or abductions by total strangers are (thankfully) very rare. Let children know they should tell you anytime they’re made uncomfortable by someone’s behavior, even if they know the person well.
• Play “what if?” Rules and advice can be too abstract for young minds to understand. Make it real by asking children what they would do in certain situations: If a stranger tried to get them into a car, for example, or if they got lost in a shopping mall.
• Discuss body issues. Let your children know that no one should be allowed to touch them in personal areas. Teach them what areas you’re talking about, with the proper names, so they can tell you accurately if something happens.

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