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Hi there,

Hope you’re enjoying the Holidays! It’s been unusually warm here in Atlanta, so we’ve been taking advantage of the sunshine.
Every December, I start thinking about goals for the new year, and every December, I’m reminded that kids don’t naturally feel the way we do. As adults, we understand the value of long-term effort. Kids live in the land of right now.

That’s why goal setting with children needs to feel creative, simple, and playful, not overwhelming or abstract. This year, I’m finally trying something I’ve always wanted to do… a vision-boarding night with my kids.

In this issue, I’ll walk you through 6 questions to ask your kids before setting goals and a quick checklist for hosting your own vision-boarding night that I hear really works. Let’s begin! 

6 Questions That Open a Window Into Your Child’s Inner World

1. Start With What Kids Naturally Enjoy

Before jumping in, ask yourself… Does your child enjoy creative work, silly prompts, quiet reflection, or structured plans?

Kids engage best when the format feels natural to their personality. A child who hates crafts may prefer a digital board. A child who loves stickers will want a whole sticker buffet. A more imaginative child may wish to draw their goals.

2. Ask: “What’s one dream, project, or skill you want to try in 2026?”

Kids don’t think in long-term outcomes. They believe in experiences. Your child’s “dream” might seem small to you, but for them, it’s huge.

Help them choose goals that are realistic and achievable, so kids feel proud rather than defeated. 

3. Ask: “What Do You Want Less Of Next Year?”

This is one of the most revealing questions you can ask a child.

You’ll hear things like less homework stress, less pressure, less rush in the mornings, etc. Kids know when something feels too heavy, but they rarely get asked what they want less of.

4. Choose One Family Ritual for 2026

Rituals don’t need to be elaborate to be meaningful. It can be Friday night pizza + movie, a weekly walk, Sunday pancakes, a monthly ‘new place’ adventure, reading together for 10 minutes before bed, etc. These tiny anchors become the things kids remember for years.

I’m planning to introduce vision boarding as a yearly ritual now that my boys are older. When they were younger, it confused them, but now they actually see the fun in imagining their future selves.

5. Ask: “What Are You Proud Of From This Year?”

This is my favorite question because it opens a window into their inner world. Kids rarely get asked to reflect on pride. Their answers reveal what matters to them. Use these answers to guide their goals for 2026 gently.

6. Revisit a Habit or Interest They Dropped This Year

Kids often start and stop things because the schedule gets too busy, they lose confidence, or something else grabs their attention. Ask them…

“Is there something you tried this year that you want to try again?”

They may surprise you. Sometimes the most meaningful goals are simply returning to something that once brought joy.

Here’s How You Can Execute a Vision Boarding Night 🌃

Step 1) Choose the format that fits your family

This activity works best when it feels fun, not like another assignment. Here are some ideas:

• A digital Canva board

• A sticker-and-sketch version

• A cozy cafe outing with notebooks

• A floor picnic with papers and pens

• A craft table vision board with scissors and magazines

Or simple printables like this one ⬇️

Vision Board Ideas for Students to Achieve Goals 

Step 2) Pick magazines, newspapers, and get cutting.

If you’re going digital then Pinterest for the win.

Step 3) Put on some music, and get some snacks and munchies.

Hot chocolate, and cookies make everything better. And ask your kids to build a playlist for the night.

P.S: Found this playlist. Your kids will love it! 

What You Actually Need (And What You Don’t)

You don’t need a Pinterest-worthy setup or a craft supply haul that costs more than your weekly groceries.

All you really need is a board or a sheet of paper, a little tape or glue, a pair of scissors, and whatever you already have at home, like magazines, printed images, stickers, and markers. Add some hot chocolate, turn on music everyone loves, dim the lights a little, and suddenly it feels like an occasion.

30 Kid-Friendly Party Snacks for New Year’s Eve.  

The goal is to create a warm, cozy moment where everyone slows down long enough to think about what they want next year to feel like. 

Kids won’t remember how polished the board looked. They’ll remember how the evening felt with the laughter, the creativity, the snacks, the sense of being heard.That's all for today's issue, parents! 💗

Inside the Laid-back Parent’s Internet History this week: 

🔖 READ: Why a little boredom is actually good for your child’s brain

🔖 READ: Simple rituals > elaborate productions

🔖 READ:Why kids seem to “act out” more during long school breaks

Note for My Fellow Laid-Back Parents

Goal setting with children is about the conversations those goals create, like the small windows into what your child hopes for, worries about, or secretly believes they’re capable of.

Kids don’t need perfect vision boards or meticulously planned action steps. What they need is much simpler… 

They need space to wonder. Space to dream. Space to imagine the version of themselves they haven’t met yet. .

So this year, let go of the pressure to “do it right.”

Make room for imagination because that’s where the real growth begins, and the memories that last are born.

See you next week,
Lakshmi 💛