What is a Good New Years Resolution?

Who makes New Year's resolutions? Do you? It is estimated that 37% of Americans make a resolution. Kids can make resolutions too.

Some of the more common resolutions for school-aged kids are:

• Eating more fruits and veggies

• Limiting juice and soda and drinking more water and milk

• Going to bed on time

• Stop watching electronics 30 min before bed

• Start a new hobby or sport

However, only about 10% of people keep their resolutions.

Can you make a resolution to read more?

A resolution for our family this year is to find ways to continue to practice and enjoying reading. This is going to take a little creativity since reading continues to be challenging for all three of our kids. It is work for them, not fun.

As their parent, I want to instill a love for learning and not "force" them to read, which can lead to aversion. However, I also understand that reading practice is essential if they are going to develop into competent and efficient readers. And that is the goal.

How do you find this balance? Some of the strategies we are using are:

• Finding short poems or readings that are interesting and fun. Rhyming seems to help.

• Book series that sparks their interest. We co-read. I read a page and they read a page, etc.

• Listening to a lot of audio books to develop their vocabulary and comprehension.

We have found some really interesting chapter books and are dedicated to short and sweet wins the race. We read for 15-20 minutes a day, which feels more attainable to the kids (and me). They listen to their audio books as part of their bedtime routine.

We hope you can find some space and enjoyment for reading too. Let us know what works for you? The best, most joyous blessings to you and your family in 2024! Let is be the year that reading becomes more automatic and fluent for our children with dyslexia.