How to Sum Up the Year with Children

12/11/2023

Did you know about the importance of children's reflection on the year? Through this process, they learn to recognize the results of their efforts, helping them move in the right direction in the coming year without wasting energy in vain. Moreover, each year inevitably brings new skills, knowledge, and experiences for your children. Here's why discussing this is crucial:

Reflecting on Achievements: While recalling the year, children look at their accomplishments from a different perspective, noticing details they might have overlooked before. It aids in forming an accurate assessment of what transpired since the children learn to analyze. For instance, if a little one aimed for first place in a contest, put in considerable effort but ended up in second place, simple questions can help the child understand that second place is not a defeat but a significant victory: Did you receive an award? Did you become one of the best? How many kids didn't receive awards?
Clearing Thoughts and Building Self-Esteem: Summing up the year helps clear thoughts, release worries and resentments, and boost self-esteem. Teach your child to honestly acknowledge good and challenging events, not from a perspective of "I failed" but rather from questions like: What did I learn from this situation? How can I approach it differently? Is it worth investing energy into? Will it be beneficial? This way, children learn self-discipline and responsibility, observe the outcomes of their actions, and reflect on how they could have avoided failures.
Building Self-Confidence: By vocalizing successes, we attribute value to them, reinforcing the child's confidence. Acknowledge achievements such as academic performance, participation in contests, helping around the house, or acquiring new skills like swimming or joining an art class. Each child has something to be praised for.

Rules for Summing Up with Children:

Make It Playful: Sum up the year with your child through activities like drawing or crafting. Create a ritual, such as crafting a New Year tree ornament symbolizing the main achievement or sharing why it represents the year. Keep these items, hanging them on the tree each year – a pleasant way for the children to remember their past achievements.
Encourage Honest Sharing: Teach children to honestly discuss both successes and failures. Avoid criticism and judgment. The year's outcomes should be positive for the child. Help children articulate their thoughts correctly. Instead of saying, "I lost my favorite bunny," guide them to express, "I became wiser and realized it's better not to take beloved toys where I get distracted on slides and swings."
Record Achievements: If your child can't write yet, document reflections after a discussion yourself. Consider starting a special notebook or an "Achievement Album" where you will annually note down your child's accomplishments. As they grow, children can take charge of updating this album independently.

Summing up the departing year is especially crucial with little ones. Ask them what they've learned, how they've changed, and what dreams they have. It helps children objectively evaluate their results, find positives in setbacks, and learn responsibility and self-control.