“New year, new me” might trend every January—but for tweens, generic resolutions often lead to frustration rather than fulfillment. Between societal pressure to succeed and their own budding self-awareness, goal-setting can feel like one more chance to fall short.
But what if this year, your tween learned to set goals that felt authentic, sustainable, and truly motivating?
Why Traditional Resolutions Don’t Work for Tweens
Tweens are still developing the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for planning, impulse control, and follow-through.
That means:
- Long-term goals feel abstract and hard to visualize
- All-or-nothing thinking dominates (“If I miss one day, I’ve failed”)
- Their goals are often influenced by peers or social media
3 Ways to Make Goal-Setting Engaging & Effective
Start with “why,” not “what.”
Encourage them to explore what matters to them—not what they think should matter.
Break goals into tiny steps.
“Read more” becomes “Read 10 pages every Sunday.” Small wins build momentum.
Celebrate effort, not outcome.
Praise the consistency, not the result. Did they try? That’s what counts.
How Bloomster Turns Goals into Growth
In our course “Goal-Setting: Gaining Tools for Success,” tweens learn how to set goals they can actually achieve — not resolutions that disappear by February. They discover how to:
- Break big goals into simple, manageable steps
- Build routines that support consistency and follow-through
- Stay motivated using positive habits and progress tracking
- Overcome obstacles with problem-solving and resilience strategies
- Reflect on their progress to build confidence and ownership
This isn’t about perfection — it’s about giving tweens the tools, structure, and confidence to create success in their own lives.
Free Resource for Parents
With the New Year here, it’s the perfect time to start new habits, reset routines, and introduce Bloomster into your home. These free resources are a great first step, and when you’re ready to go deeper, you can sign up to unlock the full Bloomster learning experience for your tween.
Ready to put these ideas into practice? Explore our free eBook library with many different resources for you and your tween. It’s a great tool to help your child build a growth mindset and find value in the learning process.