It’s the beginning of another year and that means lots of planning for healthier habits, more active lifestyles and a fresh start. The first few weeks of 2014 might be the perfect time to sit down with your kids and talk about New Year’s resolutions that they might have or that you can suggest. Here are five great ideas for your kids to try in the New Year.

1. Choose Veggies Instead of Sweets

This might sound like a far fetched request for your children, but, surprisingly, many kids already grasp the importance of healthy eating and are interested in being more conscious about their food choices. Real moms reported to Parents.com that their children actually wanted to cut back on fast food and junky choices.

Talk with your kids about the importance of drinking water to stay properly hydrated and regularly digesting fruits and vegetables while watching sugar intake to stay healthy. This can help them to take care of their own bodies and develop good habits for the future. And, of course, the best way to convince your kids is by example. Make sure that, as parents, you are modeling good eating habits first.

2. Make Active Play a Priority

Another way for kids to take charge of their personal health is by limiting their time on video games, computer, television and mobile devices in order to spend more time in active play. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids aim for a goal of physical activity, or getting outside and moving, at least three times per week.

3. Practice Safety Online

In the information age, children are exposed to the possibilities as well as the potential dangers of the Internet. Safekids.com lists some rules for appropriate behavior online. These include:

•I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, etc. without my parent’s permission

•I will tell my parents right away if I see, read or hear something that makes me uncomfortable

•I will never agree to meet someone online without my parents agreeing and coming with me to a public place

•I will talk about posting pictures of myself with my parents first

4. Learn a New Skill

This year might be a great time for your little ones to start learning something new like a sport, an art or other hobby. You can help your son or daughter identify an interest or passion that they already have and direct this towards an enriching skill set. Guides like TakeLessons singing coaches can provide a great list of local professionals who can teach your budding musician. And most communities offer youth recreation sports like Little League baseball, Pop Warner football, soccer, basketball, etc. Your child might just thrive in a new activity like a team sport or private music lessons.

5. Choose Kindness

Perhaps the most important resolution your kids can make for 2014 is to be kind to more people. Whether it is their peers, younger children, adults or elderly people, everyone can stand a little more kindness.

“Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike,” writes J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series. Talk with your kids about practical steps they can take at school, with their friends or together as a family to treat people well and value everyone.

With these five ideas to discuss, your kids can come up with incredible resolutions for this New Year.

Image from www.ivillage.com

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Author Bio: Jessica Socheski is a freelance journalist who currently writes about finding ways to save money on health care, fitness, and nutrition. Connect with her on Twitter.