Do you encourage your children to make resolutions?

[Cynthia Mosher]

I've been working on my own list of resolutions (greener living, better eating habits, managing my money more wisely) and it got me to thinking about encouraging my children to make new year's resolutions too. Do any of you make resolutions as a family or do it as a family activity? I'm wondering how effective it might be to bring my children into the circle of my own resolution-making, thinking it might not only keep me accountable but alos help them learn to examine their lives and make commitments to improve and make positive changes. 

Anyone tried this with their children? I'd love to hear if it has been beneficial and, if you don't mind sharing, what sort of resolutions you decided on and were able to commit to.  

In case you're interested, I posted another thread about sticking to what you resolve, taking a look at a 2012 community thread about new years resolutions: http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1340333/new-years-resolutions/0_100 

[MaryMarg]

We do!  My husband and I had always set goals together and, as a child, my family went on a goal-setting weekend each year.  We went to a beautiful place where we could take time to set various resolutions.  My parents were more structured, having us set goals in certain categories (physical, educational, spiritual, etc.) but DH and I are a bit more casual with our three young children (7 and under).  We take a day around new year's day and meet as a family.  We spread a huge piece of butcher block paper over our dining room table or on the floor and everyone takes an area to draw their goals.  The children's goals are casual, sometimes silly, but we don't restrict or judge.  We do sometimes give suggestions if there are ideas they have been discussing during the past few months that would make good goals.  Some examples of our children's goals included learning to ride a bike, petting a dog (which was huge for our very wary three-year-old to suggest), reading three books (!), or walking on walks instead of riding in the stroller.  My husband and I include our goals on the page so the children can see that we, too, set goals each year.  Tomorrow is our annual goal-setting day--we'll discuss progress and create a whole new page that will be hung in the laundry room where everyone can see it.  We make it fun with fun foods, music, and general family time.  After everyone chooses their goals, I make an index card with pictures of their goals on it and tape it beside their beds or somewhere visible so we can talk about it occasionally during the year (and so DH and I can actually remember to encourage them on the goals!)  It's not formal; there's no pressure.  It HAS been a great way to see the kids be PROUD, so PROUD when they do achieve a goal--running to us and saying "hey!  I met one of my goals for this year!!!"  Now if there was just a little more time for me to work on my goals... LOL!