Happy New Year 2026! If you’re like most people, once that clock struck midnight and all the cheers subsided, resolutions and yearly goals were being tossed around and decided on. Among the top choices are the tried-and-true weight loss and getting healthier in the new year. Another one that seems to reach the top of the list is creating better living spaces with more organization and cleaning out. For me, I tend to go with the one that brings me the most joy…travel and spending quality time away with my family. Planning the next big adventure with all the Sumner kids in tow is the ultimate New Year’s goal, where the box always gets checked and we are all better because of it.
Next on the list is making sure to evaluate my children’s yearly academic plans and find areas to revisit, adjust, and plan forward. It seems that starting the new year with their educational goals reassessed and organized tends to keep us focused on beginning with the end in mind. Where does each child see themselves feeling a sense of success and accomplishment, and what small steps should be taken to reach that end goal?
In this month’s feature article, 6 Ways to Help Your Kids Set and Achieve Goals, the author lays out a thorough plan to start goal setting with kids and gives great tips on how to motivate and keep working toward the overall desired result. She recommends considering the child’s age and being realistic with the goal and timeline, but also reward accomplishments, even small ones, along the way.
Creating a long-term goal for helping your high schooler make an A in science class may work for him, but such a long-term goal for a 3rd grader might become overwhelming. It might be better to make smaller goals each week and reward homework well done on Friday instead of waiting for the final report card in May.
Inevitably, there will be setbacks, so plan ahead on how to handle those. It’s a good idea to keep the momentum going with a positive approach and not quickly turn to punishment. Kids respond best to the positive, so discuss, adjust, and keep on encouraging success. Also, included this month are local educational resources that can help with school goals and even next fall’s enrollment plans. You’ll find local tutoring and student support services that can help with those academic goals in science. Or, if your student wants to include more science enrichment outside the classroom, there are STEM programs and dual enrollment options, too.
Maybe your family is considering an early educational start and wondering about Pre-K schools or day programs. Or, thinking about touring a private K-12 school to see if your goals align with their foundation, mission, and philosophy? We have included those schools in the guide this month, too.
Whatever your New Year’s goals are for you and your family, planning and being consistent are key. January is a great time to check in with your students, talk about their academic goals, and recommit to a plan that will give them that push to finish the school year strong. From one parent to another, keep it positive, work together, and make this year’s resolutions successful.
