10 Parenting Resolutions for the New Year You'll Actually Keep

BabbleBy now your Facebook and Twitter feed is probably riddled with resolution goodness. It's not that I mind public displays of New Year's resolutions, I just happen to think life changes are highly personal, maybe even a little bit sacred. Then again, I get the whole forced accountability and support that comes from making a resolution public.

When looking back on my parenting successes and failures of the last year, I could easily write a legitimate list of parenting resolutions, but they're personal promises I'd rather act upon than publish. For now, I'm only comfortable publishing the following 10 infallible parenting resolutions I know I can keep into the New Year and beyond:

1. Yell more
Because I sure as hell can't yell less. If I just decide to yell more, maybe my kids will start listening? I can only assume that they've been unable to hear me up to this point.

2. Sleep less
Every single year I tell myself that I'll sleep more and why? There's just way too much good and bad TV available for my viewing pleasure.

Related: 10 hilarious New Year resolutions I know my baby's making

3. Eat better
And by "better" I mean foods I actually enjoy. Forget watching my weight, the only thing I'm willing to save calories for is food I actually enjoy eating. Maybe that food will take longer to make, maybe more preparation is involved, but if it makes my taste buds happy, then I'm happy. To better tasting food!

4. Expect more
My kids will tell you their job is to go to school. It is, but their job doesn't stop there. I expect my kids to help around the house with age-specific responsibilities. I'll expect a little more from my kids in the coming year because they're capable and dammit, they live here too.

5. Step out
With two boys, I've played referee rather unsuccessfully for the last five years. So go ahead kids, wrestle, kick, poke, bother, smother, annoy -- whatever. Work it out. Or don't. I'm out.

6. Exercise more
Not move my body more, silly! Exercise my desire for an earlier bedtime for my kids, a thermostat set to 76 degrees, and the right to an uninterrupted pee.

7. Ignore your kids
Obviously, I don't mean ignore-ignore them, just ignore them a little. Pick your battles, focus on the big stuff that really matters and find a way to come to peace (read: ignore) the rest. Life's too short.

8. Laugh more
When you really stop and think about it, life's funny -- scratch that, life's hilarious! Even when it's not funny, it's still kind of funny. Find little ways to bring more laughter into your home. Laughter's good for your health, your spirit, and the strength of your family as a whole.

- By Lori Garcia
Follow Lori on Babble

For 2 more parenting resolutions you'll actually keep, visit Babble!

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