The Language of Life: New year, new (musical) dreams

I have never been one for New Year's resolutions. A recent study found that already, 22 percent of Americans who made New Year's resolutions a mere few days ago have already broken them. As you decide whether or not to make a resolution of your own, one thing to consider is how resolutions, which seem to be broken because they often are ventured into alone, could be turned into something positive and motivating for your whole family. I have always thought in terms of the New Year as an opportunity to set new goals, with your child and family, that you can work toward in the present year and beyond.

In 2001, I made a personal goal of learning French. I must share that I didn't know then that this goal would be one that was transformative in my life. Seven years later, I found myself actually living in Paris and immersed in the language. For me, this was a dream come true and was part of the experience that helped me to create Global Language Project.

As parents, we know that our children are very imaginative. The thought of "resolutions" and even "goals" can sound boring to young minds, but dreams are exciting. I have found that when looking for inspiration to help children dream, you should use colorful and descriptive language. When was the last time that you asked your child what they dreamed about and what their dream looked like and felt like? What does your child wish they could, or would, like to learn to do? Tying their dreams to learning can be a fantastic motivator. If they don't have answers right away, think of ways to help them brainstorm....

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