5 Parenting Goals for 2021
As we step into another new year, it’s the perfect time to talk about goals and resolutions, especially goals you want to accomplish as a parent. Parenting is the toughest job around, whether it’s your full-time job or you have another job on the side. When you make resolutions, it’s a way to stay organized, focused, and on track either with a clean slate or a past goals list of things you want to see improvement on for you and your family. Whatever goals you decide on for your list, here are some suggestions to get you started.
Vaccinations
If you haven’t already, it is vitally important, especially this season with COVID-19, to get the flu vaccine in order to better protect yourself and others around you from getting the flu. With this in mind, be sure to stay up-to-date on your child’s other immunizations as well. Regarding the coronavirus vaccines, unless you are in the medical field or work for an assisted living facility, it is still a waiting game for everyone else. This means continuing to follow the CDC guidelines of wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing your hands.
Connect as a Family
Spending time and connecting with family is a positive way to not only break through the pandemic blues, but get to know your kids. One way to get to know them is by protecting family dinner time with talking about how everyone’s day went. Also, enjoy some outdoor activities, weather permitting. You could go for a walk, play with sidewalk chalk, play catch, shoot some hoops, or anything else your family is interested in while still maintaining safe distances from others around you.
Practice Rewarding Resilience rather than Success
When your child gets an A in school or performs a chore well, giving them a reward for their accomplishments motivates them to continue doing any act successfully. If your child comes across certain challenges, even if they didn’t complete the task at hand, reward them for doing their best rather than succeeding. This shows your child has the ability to power through any obstacle and can still perform good work, despite going through a more challenging situation than what their used to.
Don’t Give Up on Potty Training
If potty training was something you started last year, but it wasn’t the right time or didn’t quite work out as you expected, add it to the goal list this year. Start out by following how your kid reacts to the situation. If they talk a lot about it or show signs and interests, then it might be time to give it another go. Be sure to tame down on rewards and give your child plenty of time to adjust. Though, if your child is still having troubles, contact us so that you don’t have to go through this transition alone as we can diagnose and narrow down other possible reasons for your child’s struggles during this time.
Take Some Time for You
Whether your children are still in diapers or going into high school, you devote a lot of time and energy into your kids that you probably forget to take care of yourself in the process. It is OK to take some time for yourself in order to recharge and continue caring for those around you. Take however much time you need to do things that fill you up and make you feel like yourself again like taking a bubble bath, reading an encouraging book, or listening to some upbeat or soothing music. Avoid doing chores or running errands during this time, unless they lift you up and brighten your mood. In order to be the best parent you can be, it’s important to take a step back and relax whenever possible.If you have any questions regarding parenting goals and how to be the best parent you can be, contact us. We know that being a parent is not an easy task, but we’re to help and give our expert advice when you seek it the most.
