Healthy goals kids can set in 2023 —
and how parents can help
BY JENNIFER MARINO WALTERS
I t’s a new year, and that means a new opportunity for families to
make positive changes in their lives. And that doesn’t only apply to
the grown-ups. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP), New Year’s resolutions can be a great way for kids to focus on
forming new, healthier habits.

“As a mom of three, I know how important it is to set healthy
goals with kids, and to be realistic about those goals,” says Lanre
Falusi, MD, FAAP, a Washington, D.C.-based pediatrician. “Kids also
love having something to work toward, [like] keeping track [of their
progress] on sticker charts.”
Now that it’s January, sit down as a family to discuss what resolutions
each person would like to make in the new year. If you need inspiration,
here are some ideas for kids’ New Year’s resolutions, suggested by the
AAP, local experts and parents.

20 Washington FAMILY JANUARY 2023
4 I WILL SPEND MORE TIME WITH
MY FAMILY 4
The Takash family in Arnold, Maryland
always makes New Year’s resolutions that
focus on togetherness.

“We have crazy schedules, but we’ve com-
mitted to eating dinner together at least once
a week,” says mom Andrea.

Sara Reimers, a Hanover, Maryland mother
who created the app Kid Friendly Maryland,
ANNANDISTOCK / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Great New Year’s
Resolutions for Kids
4 I WILL SPEND LESS TIME ON
SCREENS 4
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation,
kids ages 8-18 get an average of 7 hours and
30 minutes of screen time each day for enter-
tainment. Not only does that decrease their
physical activity, but it cuts into valuable
time they can spend bonding with others.

To help kids—and the entire family—cut
down on screen time, designate blocks of
time when all devices must be turned off or
placed in a bin. This can be while you’re hav-
ing dinner, enjoying a game night or going on
a family walk.

“Kids are growing up in a world where they
have technology constantly pulling at their
attention,” says Rachel Noble, a licensed pro-
fessional counselor in Washington, D.C. “If
they don’t put guardrails on screen time,
they don’t ever quite connect with the peo-
ple that are right in front of them.”