How Students Should Set New Years Resolutions

How Students Should Set New Years Resolutions

Sunday, 22 November 2020 19:58

Christmas is in the air in Northville, Michigan. Everywhere you go you see reminders of the holiday season and hear the nostalgic music that takes us back to our childhoods. It is the time of year our town and nation are most focused on our Lord and Savior. The story of Jesus’ birth is depicted in movies and played on the radios of retail stores and restaurants. We see reminders of the miraculous Advent of Christ in commercials and on billboards. We even associate the chill of winter with the birth narrative of the long-awaited Messiah. 

As Christmas gives way to New Year’s Eve, our focus begins to shift to the promise of a fresh start that comes with the resetting of the calendar. Many will be looking forward to that this year more than ever. Most will make resolutions to improve their lives. For parents of elementary and middle school students, this is an opportunity to set new goals academically and personally. 

 

We want to help you help your students make excellent New Year’s resolutions that will lead to improvement in their academic, spiritual, and personal pursuits. We want their resolutions to be wise and attainable. Here are tips on helping your elementary and middle schoolers set New Year’s resolutions.

How To Set and Keep New Year’s Resolutions

Two-thirds of Americans make a New Year’s resolution; however, upwards of 80% fail to achieve their goals. One of the key factors in seeing success is setting good goals. In general, these steps will help you and your students set good resolutions:

  • Be Specific: If you want to lose weight, say how much. If you want to eat healthier food, say what foods and how often.
  • Make It Attainable: If your goals are out-of-reach, you are more likely to give up. 
  • Stretch Your Goals: While you want the goals to be attainable, they should also be challenging.
  • Make a Plan: If you want to lose 30 pounds, develop a plan for exercise and diet. 
  • Get Accountability: You need to tell people about your goals who can help you be accountable to your plans. 

Setting the right kind of resolutions and developing plans to keep them will give you a great chance at achieving your goals. Imagine how your seven-to-twelve-year old’s will feel when they accomplish your goals. 

Setting Good New Year’s Resolutions for Students

When helping your students set academic and spiritual resolutions, setting attainable goals, and making a plan will be key to successfully achieving their resolutions.

  • Focus on learning, not grades: Help your children set learning goals like improving reading and retention skills, mastering mathematics, etc. If your students are learning more effectively, improved grades will follow. 
  • Resolve to spend time in devotion: Set specific Scripture reading goals. You might consider committing to a year-long Bible reading plan as a family. You can set aside time to discuss what you have read as a means of family-devotion and accountability. You may even read together.
  • Connect students with experts: If your child has goals and resolutions that relate to experts in your life, connect them with the people who can help. 
  • Tell your child’s teachers: Your child’s teachers will be delighted about their intention to improve in learning and spiritual growth. Make them aware of your student’s resolutions as a means of accountability and support. 

New Year’s resolutions can help your child achieve benchmarks in their learning beyond what they expected. If you or your student do find yourselves behind on your resolutions, adjust your goals, and plan before you drop it altogether. Use failed resolutions as a learning opportunity. 

A Supportive Christian Private School

One of the ways you can ensure your students are improving academically and spiritually at all times is by enrolling them in a Christian private school. St. Paul Lutheran School creates the type of environment where elementary and upper school students have the support they need to achieve their goals. We make sure students receive the highest quality academic experience in addition to Biblical instruction and Christ-centered fellowship. Our teachers and faculty are committed to leading our students to know and follow Jesus. If you want to know more about our school, please contact us