5 New Year’s Resolutions I’m Making for My Kids

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The last few months I’ve been consumed by work as the contributing author for a Los Angeles relocation guide. Chunks of time throughout the day and night have been spent writing a book, driving around Los Angeles taking photos of neighborhoods, and updating contact information and weblinks. In the process, my kids have seen some parts of LA that we may not have explored otherwise. But they’ve also spent a lot of time in the car, and a lot of time playing second fiddle to this project. I’m looking forward to getting back to a more family-focused lifestyle, and to do that, I’ve chosen 5 New Year’s Resolutions to help me get back to the parenting that I truly enjoy.

1. Spend more time playing in natural spaces: I love taking my kids outdoors to explore new places, and being in Southern California, the weather allows us to do that almost any time of the year. Nature centers, unique playgrounds, beaches, and hiking trails are everywhere around us, and I plan on venturing out to some newly discovered locations for some much needed fresh air and exploring without time limits. Natural play is fun but it is also full of benefits for children, like improving motor skills, helping them develop a sense of self, boosting cognitive function, and providing a wealth of other physical, mental, and developmental benefits.
2. Leave unscheduled time to play (or read, or do a craft, or be bored): With the rush of the holidays, work, extracurricular activities, and chores that require daily attention, we end up following a schedule that keeps us on the go. At least twice a week, I’ll be setting aside time for us to just hang out at home and be lazy or creative. Kids need time like this to relax and unwind just as much as parents do. Unscheduled free time helps kids grow creatively, teaches them to play independently, gives them the opportunity to use problem-solving skills, and provides a calm environment for them to connect with their parents.
3. Let the kids pick what we do: I get to decide what we do almost every minute of every day, because I’m the parent. And with busy schedules, we forget that kids have things they want to do too, it just often gets overlooked. I plan to make a conscious effort to give each of my children the opportunity to choose what activity or adventure we will engage in at least once a week. Letting my kids pick the activity lets them know that I respect their individuality and that their interests are important to me.
4.  Turn off the phones/electronics and give them uninterrupted face time: It’s easy to get caught up with e-mails and social media, but my kids deserve to have my undivided attention. They need to know that they are important enough for me to put down the phone or turn off the computer. We’ll all reap the rewards with this one. They get face time with mommy and I get to watch them play, learn, make funny faces, dance, and sing without interruption. I love watching my kids and they grow so fast that I want to take in everything about them as they do. I don’t want to look back and wish I could remember what their faces looked like when they were swinging on the swings or doing tricks on their scooters. I want those images locked in my memory.
5. Make and enjoy family meals together – Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, everyone pitches in: My kids love to help, but sometimes it’s just easier to do it myself. At least once a week, I’ll be setting aside time to prepare a meal with everyone involved. Maybe I’ll even be able to convince my son to eat lettuce by letting him tear it up into pieces first. Family meals are something I feel are very important and I hope this will add another element of unity and show my children that by working together as a team, we can create wonderful things.

Happy New Year! Here’s to a healthy and fruitful 2014.

About the Author:

Heidi Deal is a WAHM with two amazing children who learned quickly that nature is the best playground. Together, they explore the outdoors, searching for the next best place to investigate.

After the birth of her first child, Heidi was laid off from her job at a major newsgroup and decided to turn her love for writing into a home-based business. As the owner of Copy and Content Pro, she writes content for print and online marketing, websites, blogs, e-books and more for small businesses. Heidi also writes about parenting for various websites and publications, including her own e-book, PlaySpaces: 20 of OC’s Best Places to Play and Explore with Kids. Her true calling is children’s nonfiction and she is published in several issues of AppleSeeds Magazine, a nonfiction social studies magazine for kids 6 and up.

To see some of Heidi’s adventures and for ideas to create your own, follow her PlaySpaces blog at heidideal.blogspot.com.

PlaySpaces e-book link: https://www.amazon.com/PlaySpaces-Places-Explore-Guides-ebook/dp/B00AHJTPB4/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_t_1

Copy and Content Pro link: www.copyandcontentpro.com