Parent to Parent

Happy New Year! Another year, another decade. Time to get on those resolutions, or not. So what's up for the New Year, a new you? What about the children? Do you include them in making New Year's Resolutions?

Of course, you don't want them to feel bad about themselves, so it's all in how you phrase your resolutions. Instead of focusing on better, try just to do something different. Try something new (other than a new vegetable). A new hobby, a new game, or just start a new family tradition. And definitely leave yourselves a way out if it's not working. Resolutions shouldn't be about making yourself completely over. They're not about success or failure, either. But it's okay to include the kids in shaking things up a bit.

If you take the same old vacation every year, going to visit your favorite parks or cities , then this year plan to do something different. Instead of the annual camping trip, how about visiting a state capital you've never seen before. It doesn't have to be your own, we've all got something to be proud of in all our state capitals. Or, if you usually go to the beach, try some hiking in the mountains. Make some new memories.

Maybe your family likes to go out for brunch every Saturday morning. Try having some friends over and making a party of it, at home, in pajamas! Or if you usually collapse in front of the TV every Friday night, make it a pizza party, with the kids in the kitchen. And speaking of kids in the kitchen, turn over dinner responsibilities to your children (if they are old enough) and see what happens.

The new year can also be a good time to revive some old family traditions that you may have let your busy schedules crowd out, like read aloud time. My boys may be reading on their own now, but they still cuddle close when I pull out a book (don't tell them I told you!). Even a picture book still enthralls, and gets their days off to a great, imaginative start. Or how about that familiar deck of cards? They may have outgrown Go Fish, but you're never too old for a good game of Poker, or Cribbage.

Whatever you set out to do this year, do it with an open heart and mind. It's okay if things don't always work out, if you end up hating city travel, if your kids burn out the microwave, or if your reading voice puts everyone asleep. Everybody's different, every family has its own little idiosyncrasies, and not every plan is made to work out perfectly. But if you keep your hears and minds open, you may find a wealth of new family memories and traditions this year. And what a great way to start off a new decade.

Happy New Year, one and all!

Comments

Name

E-mail (Will not appear online)

Homepage

Title

Comment

To prevent automated Bots form spamming, please enter the text you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Follow Me On Twitter

Parenting Kids and Computers

Parental Control Software
Monitors everything your child does online!

Buying Home Computers Parents Guide

Child Development

Child Support