Kid-Friendly
New Year’s
Resolutions
Kick off 2017 in a Healthy Way
New Year’s Resolutions aren’t just for adults. Make
healthy habits a family affair by including your kids in
your annual tradition of setting New Year’s Resolutions.
Here are few tips from Stanford Children’s Health to
help you stick with your resolutions all year round.
“The tradition of a ‘resolution’ usually involves an idea
for a big change that is hard to sustain long term,” says
Cindy Zedeck, director of the Pediatric Weight Control
Program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.
“The key is to set yourself up for success with small
steps, and then celebrate every small success along the
way.”
Tips for the whole family for a healthy, happy 2017:
stanfordchildrens.org
This information is presented as a courtesy to FUSD families and is not an endorsement of any program, product or service by the
Fremont Unified School District.
#1 Set Small Goals
“Resolutions usually set the bar too high,” says Zedeck. “You don’t meet the big goal; you feel terrible; and then you
stop everything.” Instead, she says, start small. If you don’t work out at all, plan just one activity per week to start.
#2 Change Your Environment
Your home is the one place you can really control, so make it healthy. Clear the clothes off your exercise machine and
put it near a window. Get rid of some of the ‘red light’ (unhealthy) foods and stock up on healthy choices. Put your running shoes near the front door where you’ll see them and be reminded to use them.
#3 Create Roles for Everyone in the Family
Establishing responsibility for every member of the family will help keep everyone on track. For instance, mom’s job is to
determine which sweet treats are OK. The kids can decide which activity to do on the weekend or help with meal planning. There are many roles, great and small, in a healthy lifestyle. Rotate roles as you go forward.
#4 Plan Non-Food Rewards
Make a list of the non-food and non-dollar rewards that you and your kids can enjoy when you achieve each small goal—
a trip to the beach, local park or pool, a favorite board game, or putting tickets in jar so each success adds up to a larger
reward.
#5 Practice Simple Journaling
Each day, take a minute to write down what you ate and what activity you did. “Journaling builds awareness,” says
Zedeck. “It helps us learn to think about our habits, the choices we make, and the goals we want to set as a family.”
Stanford expertise is now closer to your home with a network of more than 725 Stanford Medicine doctors across 60
Bay Area locations including pediatricians in all Bay Area counties. Visit stanfordchildrens.org for more information.
stanfordchildrens.org
This information is presented as a courtesy to FUSD families and is not an endorsement of any program, product or service by the
Fremont Unified School District.