Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

This is the most important New Year’s resolution parents can make

Parents should only add one resolution to their list: Here it is

Dannielle Beardsley
By

Every year we try to make New Year resolutions that we’ll stick to. We might start out with our Top 5, and then whittle it down to at least one we hope will last all year. As parents, New Year’s resolutions look a little different.

You may think things like “don’t yell as much” or “make healthier meals” top your list. But there is one important resolution parents might be overlooking. Here’s the most crucial New Year’s resolution parents should make this year — and actually stick with!

Parent working while child jumps on couch beside her.

Parents are burned out

If you were a parent over these last few years, you have seen some things. Between COVID, remote learning, and remote working, the shift in the amount of responsibility and pressure on parents — working and stay-at-home — was ridiculous. And burnout is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Related

So, what does that mean for the kids? Well, Ohio State University released a report last spring that described “parental burnout” at a rate of 66% of working parents. What’s scary about that information is how it transfers to the children. Parents who don’t have support and feel burned out are more likely to be depressed, turn to drinking as an escape, and have more anxiety than normal.

Recommended Videos

This tends to make those parents go one of two ways. Either they lash out at their children harsher than they normally would, or they start to detach and withdraw from their children. Neither of those outcomes makes for a healthy parent-child relationship.

What resolution parents need to make

Thanks to some help from expert Ruth Freemon, the founder and president of Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, we have the only resolution parents need.

Learn how to remain calm

The resolution that parents need to make is to remain calm. Remain calm? During these times and conditions? Yes, that’s what’s needed, and it is possible. It won’t happen overnight or right away, but you’ll be able to reset your brain to stop being so triggered by your children when you are already overloaded with stress.

You only need 5 minutes to do it

If you think you wouldn’t be able to cram calming techniques into your already-packed day, don’t worry. All you need to train your brain to settle down is 5 minutes a day. Pick from a list of techniques to find one that best fits your life and set a timer.

Once you find that one trick that is the most calming to your brain, make sure you practice it every day. It’ll be easier on the days the kids don’t press your buttons and much needed on those days that you are over-touched and over-stimulated from time spent with the kids.

We are all still navigating this new direction life is going in. And parents, more than any others, have more ways that stress and anxiety will pop up on a daily basis. For the new year, the only resolution that should be on every parent’s list is perfecting their 5-minute calming technique! Make the commitment to yourself and your children that you’ll start the new year off in a positive direction.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Dannielle Beardsley
Dannielle Beardsley
Contributor
Dannielle has written for various websites, online magazines, and blogs. She loves everything celebrity and her favorite…
If you love Disney, these are the motivational quotes to complete your nursery decor
Decorating the nursery or redoing a bedroom? These motivational quotes for kids will fit right in
A crib with nursery decor hanging above it

Decorating a nursery for the first time, redoing a kid's room with a new theme, or wanting art added to your child's bedroom? Motivational quotes are always the way to go. If you're stuck with where to pull inspiration from, how about your kiddo's favorite Disney characters? Disney-loving families will find the perfect motivational quotes for kids to help keep their focus on the positive side of things while leaning on them as room decor.
To remind your child it's all about their attitude
A child is never too young to learn how to work out a problem on their own, and it's never too early to help them have a positive attitude when working through an issue. These Disney characters have the right attitude.
"The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem." -- Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
"The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work." -- Tiana (The Princess and the Frog)
"You control your destiny -- you don’t need magic to do it. And there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems." -- Merida (Brave)
To remind your kid they are the only one of them out there
We all think our child is the most precious creature alive. And while we are all correct, hang one of these quotes in their nursery or bedroom to remind them daily.
"Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it." -- Elastigirl (The Incredibles)
"I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." -- Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

To remind them that taking a risk is always worth it
From the first step to the first day of school to the first activity they want to sign up for, every risk your child takes is worth it. Most children love risk-taking anyway, so foster that fearlessness by hanging these quotes up around their room.

Read more
Need to clean out the playroom? This is where you should donate toys
Need help on where to donate toys to tidy up your child's room? We have the local spots to go to first
A child's room that's a bit messy with toys and items all over

Between holidays, birthdays, and "just because" moments, the playroom and kids' bedrooms fill up pretty quickly with all sorts of items. If you want to declutter that toy room and get rid of the things your children no longer play with, donating will teach your kids to help others while letting you see the floor again. Instead of the places that are the usual stops for toy donations near you, try these other places first.
Local Buy Nothing group
If you don't know about your local Buy Nothing group, please look into it. It's a safe place to swap, give away, or ask for items or services completely free of charge. Sure, we'd all like to get a few bucks back from our child's toys, but if you don't want to go through that hassle, this is the best option. You don't even have to leave the house if you're more comfortable with porch pickups in your neighborhood.
Ask hospitals what they could use
Hospitals have tighter rules about what they can take, but it's never a bad idea to ask. The hospital would be the best for when you purchased something, it was the wrong size or item, and now you can't return it. Though items still in the packaging and with tags are always preferred, there are exceptions. Call and ask what your local hospital would take.
Reach out to local day cares/schools
If your children have ever gone to day care, you know how quickly they ask for donations. Day cares are open to more kinds of things, not just toys, so if you need to do a bit of an overhaul in your kids' rooms, ask your local day care facilities. The schools in your area are a great go-to, as well. Teachers always need classroom supplies, and the younger grades would need toys, books, and even clothing for when accidents happen.
Parent groups
Whether you're in a bunch of Facebook groups or are part of a group that meets in person, ask people you already know if they could use some toys your children have outgrown. You have a rapport with these other parents, and if you meet up in person, you could bring the items along and not have to make another stop.

Women's and children's centers in your area
For your donations to make a bigger impact, make sure women's and children's centers are on your list. If you were a struggling parent, you know how much it means to have a place like that to go to when in need. If you're a parent who doesn't have to struggle, pay it forward and count your blessings by donating to one.

Read more
Almost half of kids ages 1 to 5 don’t eat a daily veggie (and one-third don’t eat fruit)
CDC report shows kids aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables
Toddler refusing to eat healthy lunch/snack of fruit and drink her milk

According to a new report by the CDC, a surprising number of children in the U.S. are missing fruits and vegetables from their daily diet. The report comes from data compiled from the 2021 National Survey of Children’s Health, where the parents of 18,386 children were asked to report on how often their children ate fruits and vegetables. The results were both a shocking and eye-opening look at the diet of young children in America.
The results
The report found that approximately one in three children aren't eating fruit daily, while almost 50% of children aren't eating vegetables daily. The CDC recommends that children consume at least one cup of fruits and vegetables a day to ensure proper nutrition, with that number increasing as they get older. Proper nutrition is an important step in helping children grow and develop, as well as to create healthy eating habits as they get older and make their own nutritional decisions.

The rise of sugary drinks
Whether it's juice, soda, yogurt drinks, or even flavored water, children are drinking sugar more now than ever before. The report found that 57% of children drank a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once in the week prior to the survey.

Read more