Newsletter (Jan, 2019) ? Write New Story by setting Good Goals
There's a celebratory feeling in setting goals or resolutions on New Year's that doesn't exist at other times of the year. "It's about hopefulness and happiness!" in the beginning of every year. Most families, especially parents, will reflect on last year and create New Year’s resolutions for themselves. Do you help your children to make theirs?
The turning of the calendar can be a prime time to focus on building new good habits in children. Creating healthy New Year’s resolutions for children is a fantastic activity and acts as family bonding time.
We encourage our children to make their New Year’s resolutions through simple and practical ways.
✅ 1. Make a Year Review together in setting New Year's resolutions
Children above 5 years old will begin to be mindful and understand others' perspectives. It’s us who can help open up their views to broader goals on how to become their best selves. Below are simple and practical questions to trigger the little minds to express their views:
1. What’s the greatest lesson you learned in 2018?
2. What’s the hardest lesson you had overcome in 2018?
3. What’s your favorite memory of 2018?
4. What do you love about yourself in 2018?
5. What do you plan to learn in 2019?
6. What is your to get better at 2019?
Tip #1: Please do Highlight on their earlier successes, point to the bright spots where the child is doing well before going into discussion.
Tip #2: For young kids that do not favor writing (yet), parents / teachers may just start discussing with them in a friendly conversation. You may also get them to draw on a white paper as they describe their ideas to you.
Tip #3: Resolutions should always be discussed in a positive approach. Example: Do encourage your children "I'm going to do this..." instead of "I'm going to STOP doing this ...” the former way shall reinforce the proactive attitude in the children.
✅ 2. Make New Year's Resolutions as a Family
While we toast to the New Year with wishes and joy, we can bring family resolutions to the dining or kitchen table and do it as a whole family. Children look to us to learn how to approach this task literally.
2018 has been a great learning experience in our Creative Science experiments, DIY robots courses, Invention Hobby kits on electronics & programming, Little Maker’s project and reaching out to the community through our education workshops (Parents and Teachers). A kid (8 y/o) from our Maker’s class told his parents that he wants to continue building robots in 2019, as a result of his New Year's resolution, he made a decision to practice better soldering and engineering activities.
In addition, one may make family New Year's Resolutions as a family’s goal, rather than as individual’s aim, such as: eating healthier, exercising, reading, contributing to charity and enforcing family values (eg. good manners).
✅ 3. Adults are the role models for their children's resolutions
When it comes to resolutions, it's important for parents (and teachers) to lead and practice by example. In other words, "We have to walk the walk and talk the talk to be most effective." You never know what their New Year's resolutions are going to be. Let’s raise happy children in 2019, let children be children and allow them to take part in our lives by being more talkative, imaginative and creative. Create opportunities for them to discuss on their dreamed creations, to invent their own toys, to explore the world of science and life beings, pay attention to current and technologies, indulge in their art and design thinking. Children are more likely to carry out their resolutions if they see us sticking to our own goals.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the children, parents and our partners and the STEM/STEAM Education community. Your continuous support and trust motivates us to be better STEAM educators. We will continue to run good programmes and incredible workshops to create inventive projects in the MakerSpace.
Happy New Year 2019. Warmest greetings from The Little Makers!
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