Whether it’s eating healthily, a tight sleep regimen, or taking the pledge to not underage drink; it is vital to convey the importance of setting goals and keeping them! Talk with your kids today about what a resolution really is, and how important goal setting is to a successful future.

Initiate a conversation about what is important to your young teen. Listen to what they have to say about what they would like to accomplish this new year, and help them achieve their goals! This is an excellent opportunity to hear about how your kid is maturing; to see what kind of values they decide to share and confide in you. By talking and being open about these values, you are creating a stronger and more trustworthy relationship with your middle-schooler. The best way to help your kids maintain a healthy lifestyle is by continuously creating an open and vocal atmosphere where they feel as if they can talk to you about peer pressures and other problems they are facing.

Send them off to spend New Year’s Eve with friends confident that your young teen can make the right choices about underage drinking. Without articulating your expectations and the reasons to not partake, there’s a chance when the opportunity arises, they won’t be prepared to turn it down. Check out our tips for initiating conversations and other useful tools to explain why underage drinking is so detrimental.

While celebrating this NYE, it’s important to set a good example if your kids are joining in the festivities. Check out these #TalkEarly videos, an entertaining and informative display of how kids pick up on your habits and behavior, especially when it comes to drinking!

Have a fun and safe New Year, from your Ask, Listen, Learn team!