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Aspirations and Learning in the New Year

Parenting Corner – Aspirations and Learning in the New Year (January 2025)
Audio translation is available in Tajik/Farsi – Тарҷумаи тоҷикӣ / ترجمه فارسی – click here
Audio translation is available in Urdu –  اردو ترجمہ – click here
Aspirations and Learning in the New Year

Continuous Learning in the New Year: Building a Sustainable Love of Reading

We ended the year with a focus on skill building through extracurricular activities. As we focus our attention on 2025 and a new year ahead, let’s stay engaged and excited about continuous and lifelong learning opportunities. 

A recent New York Times publication highlights the importance of agency and autonomy in a child’s learning and goal setting process. In fact, while around 75% of younger elementary aged students say they love school, this number drops significantly by their high school years to about 25%. This decrease can be attributed to the limited choice a child has in voicing their own goals and aspirations. So as we begin this year, parents should place emphasis on involving their children in the goal setting process.

As we set achievable goals and aspire to be the best versions of ourselves this year, let a love of learning, reading, and gaining knowledge be the driving forces for us as individuals, for our children, and for our families.

Being a lifelong learner is a principle that is stressed by Mawlana Hazar Imam and within our community. 

In 2006, Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “In this world, the most important thing a student can learn is the capacity for continuous learning.”

Continuous learning is directly related to reading, which is a foundational skill and vehicle for learning that will help us to meet our potential in the years to come. Not only can we be immersed in fictional worlds, but we can find connections to our own lives through emotional contexts as well as through historical and realistic means. Being a part of a knowledge society means that we have to look for multiple critical thinking opportunities, which can be found through reading, be it a fictional text or something that is non-fiction. Accessing various books can help you, your child, and your whole family, broaden your thinking and allow for in-depth discussions, and moreover, the practice of daily reading can show great impact in your family unit for a lifetime.

Setting Goals for the New Year

In 2025, consider setting goals around a reading, learning, and engagement in knowledge based discussions for not just yourself, but for your children, and for your family. These multidimensional goals may help to facilitate deeper connection and will also help to align everyone’s aspirations in the new year.

A Novel Idea

Consider starting a family book club. A love of learning and reading can be achieved if everyone in your family unit is invested. Pick one book a month and set up how much of the book you will read and then have discussion questions ready as well. Not only will this generate interesting conversations and dialogue, but may in turn help to increase your child’s reading level.

  How books can open your mind – Lisa Bu
As a family, obtaining knowledge is a powerful tool and resource that drives connection and conversation. We live in a knowledge society where there are multiple ways in which to gain knowledge. Reading is one such way, but see below for other ways we may expand our thinking and broaden our horizons. 
Stay Engaged at Home
As we begin the new year, we ask that families sit down together to set goals around personal growth. This is an opportunity for parents to have in depth conversations with and hear from their child about what their personal aspirations are for 2025. This worksheet provides a direct guide that parents can follow while having discussions as a whole family unit.
Parent Book Nook

As we begin this new year, we will suggest a couple of books for parents that will help with building a further understanding of your children. This month’s books are focused on helping build a perspective around the different ways in which we can foster care and joy in our lives and in the lives of our children.

Click below to learn more about these books:

The Anxious Generation (non-fiction)
The Book of Joy (non-fiction biography)

Student Book Nook
Theme of the Month: Motivation and Aspirational

As we start the New Year, these books for the month will motivate you to keep moving and work hard to reach your goals. It’s important to not only set a life goal but a goal for reading. The stories this month will help you start teaching kids about setting goals and explore motivating stories about others who dreamed. These stories will inspire you and teach you that no goal is imposiible to reach.