time? Are there learning tools that can help them accomplish this? Teach them that achieving a goal is about so much more than desire; you have to put in the work to accomplish it, too! Focus on keeping it small. If you want to encourage your child to achieve their goals, then create smaller tasks that teach them the value of finishing something. For example, start and complete an arts and crafts project or game together to show your little one the value of finishing what they start. Then, slowly work your way up to the big goal. Maybe that’s cleaning their room without unnecessary detours or finishing their homework on time. Finally, celebrate! This is important. Acknowledge the wins that both you and your child have throughout the year. For example, if they want to be a better reader, celebrate whenever they finish a book. This will encourage them to keep going. And even if they do fail, honor their effort. Remind them that putting in the effort, regardless of the outcome, is powerful, too. 4 STEPS TO SUCCESS Teach Your Children to Set Goals
This new year, teach your children how to set healthy, achievable goals.
Start by sharing your goals. Without even realizing it, children often mimic the actions of the adults around them. So, share your goals with your child and explain how you plan to achieve these goals. Then ask your child to do the same. It can be as big as moving up three grade levels in reading or as small as beating a video game. Foster these ideas within your child so they will set one of their goals and have a positive experience when they achieve it. Create next steps together. If you want to have more energy in the new year, what steps will you take to achieve that goal? Ask your child to consider the same question in regard to their objectives. If their goal is to finish a certain video game, how will they improve their current game play? What can they do to earn more video game
For more tips on how to teach your children to set and keep goals, visit Parents.com.
With and Without Snow! HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT SNOWBALL
3 STEPS TO SNOWBALL PERFECTION 1. Test the snow for “free water.” Your snow can’t be too soggy or too dry. You want what The International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground calls “wet” snow, which is 3%–8% water by volume. To see if your snow is worthy, try the squeeze test. If it sticks together when you squeeze it without gushing water, you’re set! 2. Keep your gloves on. There’s no need to go gloveless if your snow passed the squeeze test. You may be tempted to try turning dry snow into wet snow with your body heat, but ignore the urge — at best, you’ll create a fragile snowball with only a thin shell of snowball glue. 3. Crank up the pressure. The tighter you squeeze your snowball, the better it will be! At the annual Japanese snowball fight
If you live in a snowy climate, you’ve likely made at least one snowball — but how good was your technique? It turns out the process of snowball-making is more complicated than grabbing a handful of powder and squeezing it. To understand the nuance, Popular Science asked both a NASA astrochemist and a director from Montana State’s Snow and Avalanche Laboratory to weigh in. According to the astrochemist, a truly perfect snowball would need to be made in a lab or outer space. Those are the only places where you can achieve pressure high enough to melt the snow and refreeze to make a “meniscus” (aka “snowball glue”) throughout the ball. But if you don’t have a private lab or rocket ship, here’s the next best thing.
Yukigassen, players use molds to make extra-tight snowballs. You can buy one on Amazon for under $10. While you’re shopping, look for other “snowball-maker” mold sets. You can have some fun this winter making snowball-shaped hearts, snowmen, and penguins. Who said building snowballs was just for kids?! THE SNOWBALL YOU CAN DRINK If your backyard is snowless, we have good news: You can still make snowballs — the drinkable kind! The Snowball is a classic Christmas cocktail named for the dome of froth that appears when you stir it. It’s made by mixing 1 part lime cordial and 2 parts Warninks Advocaat Liqueur with ice, then straining the mixture and adding 6 parts lemonade. For more details and snowball trivia, visit GoodHousekeeping.com.
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