How Grandparents Can Help Grandkids Set (and Keep) Meaningful New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions don’t usually fail because kids lack motivation. They fail because adults expect kids to think like adults. That’s where grandparents come in.

Grandparents have something parents often don’t during the New Year rush: time, perspective, and patience. When guided the right way, New Year’s resolutions can become less about lofty promises and more about teaching grandkids how to set goals, follow through, and feel proud of progress—no matter their age. This isn’t about raising overachievers. It’s about raising capable, confident humans.

Why Grandparents Play a Unique Role in Goal-Setting

Parents are often focused on logistics—school, schedules, sports, bedtime. Grandparents get the gift of being mentors instead of managers.

Kids listen differently when:

• Advice comes without pressure

• Conversations aren’t rushed

• Guidance feels like encouragement, not correction

That’s prime real estate for teaching goal-setting.

According to research summarized by the American Academy of Pediatrics, children develop stronger self-regulation skills when goals are framed positively and supported by trusted adults rather than enforced through pressure or punishment.

Grandparents fit that role naturally.

Start With Attainable Goals (Not Grand Promises)

A five-year-old does not need a resolution about “personal growth.” A teenager does not need a lecture about “discipline.”

What they need is clarity and scale.

Examples by Age

• Younger kids:

  • Read one short book each week

  • Put toys away before bedtime

• Elementary age:

  • Practice a skill for 10 minutes a day

  • Help with one household task regularly

• Tweens & teens:

  • Track spending

  • Practice an instrument consistently

  • Improve one school habit

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s achievability.

The American Psychological Association emphasizes that children are more likely to stick with goals when they experience early success, reinforcing motivation rather than discouragement.

Turn Resolutions Into Conversations, Not Commands

This is where grandparents shine.

Instead of saying:

“You should set a goal to read more.”

Try:

“What’s one thing you’d like to get better at this year?”

Let the child choose. Ownership matters.

Use a simple notebook or kids’ goal journal to write it down together. Writing turns abstract ideas into something real—and it creates a keepsake kids can look back on.

👉 Fun ideas: child-friendly goal journals, family planners, or printable habit trackers designed for kids.

Teach Follow-Through by Checking In (Not Hovering)

Kids don’t fail at follow-through because they forget the goal. They fail because no one helps them revisit it.

Grandparents can:

• Ask about progress during weekly calls

• Celebrate effort, not just results

• Share personal stories of goals that took time

A simple:

“How’s your goal going this week?”

does more than any lecture ever could.

Research from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child shows that consistent adult encouragement strengthens executive function skills—planning, persistence, and self-control.

That’s life-long stuff.

Focus on Meaningful Outcomes (Not Gold Stars)

A meaningful resolution:

• Builds confidence

• Encourages responsibility

• Teaches reflection

It does not require prizes for every step.

Instead, help kids reflect:

• What felt hard?

• What felt good?

• What would you change next time?

This turns resolutions into life lessons, not chores.

👉 Fun ideas: reflection journals, family discussion cards, or end-of-year memory books.

Make It a Grandparent & Grandkid Tradition

The most powerful resolutions don’t live on a checklist—they live inside a tradition.

Ideas:

• A short New Year goal-setting chat with each grandchild

• A shared family “goals board”

• Annual follow-up conversations the next December

Years from now, grandkids won’t remember the exact goal. They’ll remember who helped them believe they could keep one.

Final Thought for Grandparents

You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need all the answers.

You just need to show up, listen, and remind your grandkids that progress counts.

That’s not just a New Year’s lesson. That’s a legacy!

DOWNLOADABLE FORM:

GrandKidCentral_Form New Year Goals.pdf

Download PDF • 141KB

References

• American Academy of Pediatrics – Child Development & Goal-Setting

• American Psychological Association – Motivation and Behavior Change in Children

• Harvard Center on the Developing Child – Executive Function & Adult Support