A Second Set of Eyes
Help Your Kids Achieve More This Year With Simple and Actionable Goals With every new year comes an opportunity to reinvent ourselves or start down a new path toward self-improvement. Making resolutions is a big part of many families’ New Year’s traditions, and parents often have a desire for their kids to take part in that tradition when they’re old enough. Following through on resolutions is tough, especially for young children, but with your help, they can achieve their goals.
4 Safety Features Worth the Fuss
T he smallest details can save you from an accident. If you see a car pass into your blind spot, you can avoid hitting them when you change lanes to make your upcoming exit. But what if you didn’t notice that smaller car pulling up beside you, or you happened to looked down to change the radio right as the car in front of you hit their brakes? The best new safety features in vehicles today act as a second pair of eyes, catching details drivers can miss. If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, here are some safety features to ask for. Forward Collision Warning A forward collision warning (FCW) uses sensors to detect slow-moving or stationary objects in front of the vehicle. If the automobile is in motion and the distance between the vehicle and an external object becomes too short, the FCW will alert the driver to take evasive action. Some vehicles may even engage the brake automatically if the driver doesn’t react to the warning. Blind Spot Warning Blind spot warning (BSW) uses cameras, radar, or ultrasonic sensors to detect vehicles in your automobile’s blindspots. When drivers activate their turn signal, the BSW will alert them if it’s unsafe to change lanes.
Practice what you preach. You are your children’s role model for almost everything, including following through on New Year’s resolutions. So, ask yourself if you follow through on your own resolutions. When you proclaim that you will read more books or finally get a gym membership, do you actually try to do it? Your kids will assign as much importance to New Year’s resolutions as you do, so by sticking to your own commitments, you can help them stay on track too. Keep things simple and achievable. When your kids are forming their resolutions, their first attempts will probably be very broad. Statements like “I want to be more kind” or “I will try to help more around the house” incorporate good values but don’t include any actionable steps. Help your kids think of tangible ways to act on those goals. For example, if they want to be tidier, a good resolution might be for them to clean their room once a week or take responsibility for one household chore every day. Don’t do all the work for them. While it’s important for you to help your kids formulate their goals, be sure that you aren’t taking over. If they’re ultimately responsible for their resolutions, they’ll feel more compelled to keep them. Instead, suggest different goal areas they could improve, such as home, school, or sports, and let them elaborate. When it comes to creating habits, nobody is perfect, so even if your kids falter on their goals in the middle of February, don’t worry. The important thing is that you continue to encourage them every step of the way.
Hoppin’ John
2 • www.AttorneyShapiro.com
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