Helping Your Kids Make New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for parents – kids can also work to better themselves in the New Year as well. Help get the entire family involved in the New Year, New You mentality by following these steps before the ball drops!

Be a Role Model
Just like you’re a dental health role model for your kids, you need to practice what you preach when it comes to resolutions. Sit down with your kids to discuss their goals for the year, and how as a family you can all motivate each other to keep them.

Help Guide Them
The best way for your kids to take ownership and learn how to plan, is by creating resolutions themselves. As a parent, you can absolutely give guidance by making suggestions, but it’s important to ask them what they want for themselves and listen to their responses. Guide them with broad categories – school goals, friendship goals, family goals – but let them fill in the specifics!

Pick a FEW Goals
It’s easy to come up with a laundry list of things to work on, but in the end – it’s harder to actually follow through throughout the year. Help your kids narrow down to two or three goals that are realistic and age appropriate. And then teach them how to…

Take Baby Steps
It takes a long time to create a habit – which may discourage your child if their resolution is to keep their room clean. Instead, help them plan how they can take baby steps to achieving their goal. One week, your child should remember to always put their shoes away, the next week to make their bed, and so on. By creating small, actionable steps, you’ll help keep your child engaged in their goal. Remember to acknowledge how they’re doing throughout the year!

Make Resolutions Together
In a time where families can live isolated lives, resolutions can help bring families together. Perhaps as a family you resolve to give back – each month sit down and brainstorm how you can do so. From donating old clothes to volunteering at a local charity – there are countless ways you can work together to meet a goal! One of our favorite family resolutions – resolving to brush for two minutes, twice a day, and floss regularly!

From all of us here at Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental, we wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year! 

Resolve to keep your family’s smiles bright in 2017, schedule your next appointment with us today! We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment, in three different Long Island locations. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news!

Last Minute New Year’s Eve Crafts

After the flurry of excitement the holidays bring, sometimes we forget that New Year’s Eve is around the corner. And while you’ve managed to remember to invite some guests and prep some hors d'oeuvres, you’ve forgotten one thing: party favors! Instead of rushing out to your local party store for hats and noisemakers – round up your troops and make some of these last minute crafts for a memorable 2017 celebration:

Countdown to Midnight - Balloon Drop


You’ll need some balloons, a sheet (or some type of cloth), string, and painters tape. Attach the yarn to one side of the table cloth then using the painters tape, tape your tablecloth to the ceiling – leaving some slack to hold balloons. Blow up a bunch of balloons and place them between the tablecloth and ceiling (if you don’t mind the clean up, add some confetti for an extra surprise!). When the time comes, pull on the yarn and watch the balloons drop!

DIY Party Poppers


You’ll need tissue paper, toilet paper rolls, string, ribbon, and confetti. Measure your tissue paper to be a little more than double the length of your toilet paper roll (10-12 inches). Lay your roll onto the tissue paper on one end and start rolling. Gather the end on one side, twist, and secure with string. Then start filling the other end with ribbon, confetti, and whatever else you’d like to add! Finish by securing the end with string and come midnight – grab both ends and pull hard!

New Year’s Eve Sound Makers


You’ll need empty water bottles, and really anything you can find around the house! Buttons, sequins, pennies, glitter, sprinkles – you name it. Simply make a funnel out of a piece of paper, and fill an empty water bottle 1/5th of the way. Once finished, glue on the tops to ensure nothing comes out when shaking! Feel free to spray paint the tops gold or silver for some added pizzazz.

Looking for more New Year’s Eve crafts and ideas? Head to our Pinterest page!

From all of us here at Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental, we wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Resolve to keep your family’s smiles bright in 2017, schedule your next appointment with us today! We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment, in three different Long Island locations. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news!