1- Clean up my toys

2- Go pee in the toilet

3- Be gentle with the dogs

Huh?  OK so maybe these are not my resolutions, but they are my 2 and a half year olds, and we made them together.  Mine well, they are the usual, become more organized, eat healthier, spend less, and get my son back on a routine.  The holidays tend to throw some people off their schedule and I admit, I am one of those people.  Since before Christmas he’s been enjoying sleeping in until 10:30 am, napping from 4pm to 6pm, and calls it a night at 12am, if I’m lucky.  I guess the good thing about that was that he brought in the New Year with us!

So now, as we head into 2012, I wanted to share some ideas about how to involve your kids in making resolutions and encouraging positive change for 2012.  This is not only a great idea for older kids, but also sets a challenge for preschoolers as well.  Goal setting is part of life and helping our children set and accomplish goals at any age is important.

Just the other day I said to my son, “Let’s try to clean up your playroom, and before you start another activity you have to tidy up what you were doing.”  He said “OK mama no problem”. Well sure enough, while singing his own version of the tidy up song, he now cleans up his toys.

At times we underestimate what children are capable of, and we assume that getting what we want out of our children will be a battle. We shouldn’t. Just like adults, kids of all ages like challenges too and of course offering rewards along the way works wonders.  But remember, just like all of us, a child wants our sincere appreciation and attention.

A child who is supported and encouraged each day, with reaching these small goals, will be more likely to turn them into positive permanent habits.  The challenge is more for us moms and dads; to keep noticing and acknowledging these little achievements along the way.  How many of us have made the decision that we wanted our kids to help tidy up, fix their bed, help make their own school lunches, or feed the dog?  Or what about wanting to read more with our kids, only to not follow through because life got really busy?

This year we set goals together.  One because he understands, two because I want to teach him that if you try your best you can reach all your goals and three, because I need to be held accountable to someone if I don’t do my part!

My suggestion is to set a goal for each year of age and one that mom or dad would like to see reached, age appropriate of course.  Make a visual or chart and post it in a place where your child will see it.  This will remind them to stay on track and keep focussed, instead of you having to do so.  Easier for you to say “Check your chart” than feel like you are nagging them to stay on track with their goals.  You can even place stickers beside the goal to track the progress or completion.  Perhaps even decide on a big reward or celebration if you prefer once the goal is met, say a special family dinner, a new board game or a trip to Great Wolf Lodge!  A fun way to reward your children, and yourself!

Please feel free to share your resolutions with us by commenting below, and throughout 2012 we will also share what goals we are helping kids set and achieve at our daycares.

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year! And good luck everyone!

What started as a mom’s group 12 years ago has grown into 5 licensed child care centres, a summer camp and outdoor education centre. All of which are great places for kids and where I’ve made friends with the most wonderful people I could hope to meet.

For me, this is a very emotionally invested line of work. My husband will attest that I have a vigilance that starts at 7am each day and goes until 6pm when the last children go home.

In the beginning the entire AAK family worked under one roof.  Staff could talk and collaborate on a daily basis.  As we added new facilities we had the important job of maintaining a consistent service across the company. For me this was especially challenging because I wasn’t able to be two places at once. It became less about being physically there and more about hiring special people who share the same values as our organization.

We have an extensive 70 -page Best Practices manual that we give to new staff on the day they start with us, whether they are an infant educator, school age, or camp counselor.   New candidates spend several hours reading the manual before they get to begin their work with the children.  It describes how we as educators should give praise, plan for positive outcomes, be cheerful, and be clear in our expectations. It tells of our zero tolerance policy of prohibited practices and gives acceptable ways of disciplining in a positive way. It tells how and why to wash hands, prevent spread of illness, when to call a parent if their child is ill or injured. The manual describes how to evacuate 100 kids in less than a minute, while at the same time comforting them and making them feel safe.  It tells that activities and materials should be age appropriate, and includes the importance of meeting developmental objectives.

The other day I did a training session with a new staff and had the pleasure of presenting this epic ‘Policy and Procedure’ novel. I always say; it’s very long, and it’s a bit dry…definitely not one of Heather’s picks, but I’ll tell you a secret that’ll make it a bit easier for you to remember. The first page of the manual is the most important.

Right in the first paragraph of this manual is our mission statement.  It says at All About Kids keeps your child comfortable, confident and challenged.

Comfortable…that their basic needs are met, they are well fed, clean & dry, they have time to rest and time to play, they have time with friends and time for themselves, and if they’re not feeling well we do our best to get them home to where they’ll feel more comfortable.  Most importantly, ensuring that they are happy.

Confident… this one is about creating positive esteem, by giving praise, relating clear messages, providing positive reinforcement, and by recognizing and accepting each child’s individuality and developmental level.  Establishing trust, a sense of security, enhancing feelings of mutual respect, caring, and encouraging positive social interaction are all importance in nurturing a child’s confidence.  Allowing children to select, plan, and organize their learning activities builds independence and confidence.

Challenged…  understanding the importance of planning activities around success.  Implementing lessons on a sliding scale because not all children learn equally or at the same pace.  Recognizing children’s strengths, interests and abilities and planning a daily program that takes all of this into account.

Finally, when making a decision…any decision, I always refer to the title. All About Kids.  We are all about kids.  If you make a decision that is all about the kids then you will never be wrong.