I am going to be perfectly transparent—I am not a fan of New Year Resolutions, as I feel that one doesn’t have to wait for a new year to make a change. But I also understand the importance of ushering in a new year fresh with goals and things you want to accomplish. On top of personal and professional goals that I want to pursue, I also have a set of parenting resolutions that I want to make for the new year.
In my quest to be the best mom I can be, I know I have to consistently strive to go above and beyond when it comes to my daughter. As she gets older and is embarking on starting high school, I know that we will have some challenges and perhaps growing pains.
So, here we are, on the tail end of one year ending and a new one beginning. I’d like to share with you Six New Year Resolutions Parents Should Make, which are coincidentally, my parenting goals for the new year.
Spend more time doing nothing
Not every moment has to be planned or accounted for. Spend time with your child just doing nothing. Nuzzle together and have quiet time. Allow yourself to just enjoy one another without the pomp and circumstance of being busy all of the time.
This is top on my list!
More college conversations
It’s never too early to begin discussing college. Well, infant-hood may be too young, but if your child is school aged, it’s time to start the college conversation. Ask them questions like what they want to be when the grow up and what fields they are interested in. The find out what college specialize in these areas and begin researching them. You can also discuss scholarship opportunities, saving for college, and more.
I am having more and more college conversations with her, and it is beginning to take hold.
College visit
If your child is in high school, then planning a college visit is critical. My daughter started visiting local colleges in St. Louis last year during her 7th grade year and it has helped her tremendously hone in on what she wants to do and what her talents are. We will continue to do so this year since she will be a high school freshman next year.
Bringing her on-staff
I am going to be making my daughter a part of The Cubicle Chick team. She is good with graphics and such, so I am hiring her to help me spruce up my posts.
This will allow her to get some valuable experience as well as earn some spending money. And it will help me and my personal brand immensely.
Sharing my mistakes
I want my daughter to know that while I strive for nothing but the best for her, I am not perfect. I want to begin sharing my mistakes in hopes that she will not only learn from them, she won’t make the same ones I did.
Travel more
My daughter and I travel a lot together, but I want to add more destinations including ones of the international variety. This year, I want to resolve to us taking at least one trip outside of the continental U.S. Any suggestions on where we should go?
What Parent New Year Resolutions will you be making?
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This post is sponsored by Country Financial but thoughts and opinions expressed are mine.
Spend more time doing nothing. That spoke to me and I definitely am going to try to keep that one.
These are all excellent resolutions. I need to resolve to spend more time doing nothing. I don’t relax enough with the kiddos.
I think sharing our mistakes with our children is important. We have to be real if we want to be able to teach them the lessons they need.
Very lovely resolutions for parents to improve their relationship with their kids. I think it’s nice to have your kids involved and to share with them your life experiences as well.
These are such good ideas. The talks about college definitely help. I think it’s cool that your daughter will be working on the blog too!
I do need to spend more time with the kids and just hang out.. no distractions.
We just went to Mexico, south of Cancun, and loved it! Lots of swimming, exploring the jungle, Mayan ruins, and more!
This is a great idea. My son turned 13 last month and he is gearing up for High School. I want more Mother & Son moments. I want to keep the lines of communication open. More talks about his future for sure.
I think this is a great list for anyone. More time to do the things you love and nothing at all. Sounds like the perfect goal for new years to me. I would love to travel more int he new year!
My daughter is four months old, so I super appreciate this advice. I especially love the “do nothing” one. So true!
I would suggest visiting Montreal, Canada, I used to live there for quite a few years. It is a great city with a lot of history, and wouldn’t be boring at all for a teenager. Best time to visit – during the Jazz Festival at the beginning of July!
I love the idea of spending more time doing nothing. Those are the moments I really treasure from when my daughter was younger.
Our son hasn’t had his best school year. Academically, he’s great. Emotionally, he hasn’t been as happy.
A recent meeting with his teachers and principal helped a lot, so I’m excited to see those changes.
I look forward to watching him grow and develop. But I’m also going to do my best to present him with challenges, so he learns that everything isn’t easy, we won’t always be there and he’ll need to solve many problems on his own.