10 New Year’s Resolutions For MOMS

New Years Eve. A day to start fresh. A day to start something new. A day to become the person you always imagined of becoming. A brand new beginning.

It’s crazy how life changes so quickly. Every year we have a family tradition of writing our New Years Resolutions on a piece of paper and taking a picture with it. It is fun to see each year, where we are in our lives.

When I was five years old, my resolution was to “be nice to my sister.” When I was eleven, my resolution was to “get straight A’s in school.” When I was sixteen, my resolution was to “find a boyfriend.” When I was twenty-one years old, my resolution was to “marry my best friend!” and now… as a twenty-something year old mom, what will my New Years Resolution be?

Besides being asleep at 9pm on New Years Eve – what do moms do?! Here are a few New Year’s Resolutions that should be on EVERY mom’s list:

Photo by Christine Olson Photography

1. REMEMBER TO BREATHE: During the early morning wake up calls from the baby crying in his bed… remember to breathe. During the busy mornings trying to get the kids hair combed, teeth brushed, homework put away, lunches packed and piled into the car…. remember to breathe. During the afternoon traffic jam as you are running late for carpool and are pretty sure your kids are going to think you forgot about them as they wait on the corner for you to show up… remember to breathe. As you try to cook dinner, help with homework, feed the baby, clean the house, do the dishes, shower the kids, read a bedtime story and say your prayers… remember to breathe.

Remember to breathe during tantrums – because there may be a few this year. Remember to breathe during trials – because they are never ending. Remember to breathe every day – because as a mom, “the days are long, but the years are short.”

2. MAKE A PLAN, BUT BE FLEXIBLE: By creating a schedule and routine, life can be a whole lot easier…. but as a mom, you are the first person to know that sometimes a schedule isn’t possible. So go into each day, knowing things may change.

A child will probably get sick. A teenager may run late. A baby is almost guaranteed to have a blow-out 30 seconds before getting into the carseat. Your straightener will break, the day you finally had the energy to actually do your hair. Your car will be low on gas on the day you are supposed to go across town. Your house will not get cleaned everyday and dishes may stack on top of each other for a long period of time. So instead of allowing it to stress you out and be a burden on you – be flexible. Go into the year knowing these things are bound to happen and you are just going to “let it go!”

3. MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY: As a GOOD mom, you get wrapped up in your family’s lives and YOU suddenly get put on the back burner. You may skip breakfast, because you were too busy getting everyone out the door on time. You may miss your daily exercise, because you were volunteering at the school. You may not even shower, because you felt like you needed to clean the house instead. You may not eat lunch, because the baby refused to take a nap. And you may lay down at night wondering what in the world you did all day, because you didn’t do anything for YOU.

One of the hardest things about having children – is still taking time for you. Some may say it is impossible to take “me” time because they have too much going on… and some may take too much “me” time and not focus on their families enough. But there is a balance.

Find time for you – whether it is early in the morning before the kids are awake, in the afternoon when the kids are at school or in the evening when the kids are asleep… and do something for yourself. When you take care of yourself, you will feel refreshed, energized and ready to be the best mom possible.

4. LEARN TO SAY NO: You may be a mom that is always on the go – and if that is you – this resolution is for you. So often we compact our schedules with activity after activity, service after service, volunteer after volunteer – we get overwhelmed and realize that we have piled on too much.

Repeat out loud, “I don’t have to do EVERYTHING.” You truly don’t. Seriously.

5. DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT: Schedule in a certain time during the day where you completely unplug from your phone and focus on your family. It may just be an hour a day – but try it. Put your phone on the counter and get on the ground and play. Put your phone in your room and go to the kitchen and eat dinner with your kids.

Click here to check out how to recharge your relationships by unplugging from your phone.

6. COUNT TO TEN: When your temper is rising and your patience is at it’s last straw – count to ten before you yell, spank, scream or say something you don’t mean. I read once of a mom who made an effort to hug her kids when she was feeling angry, besides yelling. The Orange Rhino Challenge is a GREAT Challenge for 2015 – check that out here if you don’t know what that is!

7. PUT THE MOP AWAY: Let your house get messy – let the laundry pile up – let the dishes soak in the sink…. and PLAY. So many hours are spent cleaning and organizing, while we could be focusing on being outside and making memories for our children. Now, if you are like me and can’t stand a messy house – try to clean up when the kids go down at night, so in the morning it can be a new day full of new memories.

8. NO MORE JUDGING: Something most moms struggle with. You’ve heard of them – the “mommy wars.” No more judging the mom at the grocery store who has opened the fruit snacks just so her child would sit in the cart. No more judging the stay-at-home mom for staying in her sweats all day and no more judging the working mom as she goes to work every morning to provide for her family. No more judging the helicopter mom for watching over her toddler and no more judging the other 15 different moms that you see at playgroup.

We all are different – and it’s all okay.

9. DON’T FORGET THE MAN: Maybe this should have been number one? This year, don’t forget about the guy by your side – the man who works hard to help provide for your family. Take him on a date. Give him a kiss like you mean it. Tell him you love him every single day. And spice up your marriage every now and then.

10. BELIEVE: First, believe in your children. Believe that they are good kids! Believe that they are doing their best. Believe that you should be proud of them.

Second, believe in your husband. Believe in a healthy marriage. Believe that he loves you. Believe that he thinks you’re beautiful. Believe that he makes you a better person. Believe in your love.

And lastly, believe in yourself. Believe that you are doing a dang good job! Believe that you are irreplaceable. Believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. Believe that you are worth it. Believe that being a mom is the most beautiful, incredible, hard, amazing, crazy, stressful, fun, exhausting, loving, most-rewarding and BEST job in the world. Believe that you are making a difference in little lives, one day at a time.

Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day!

December 28, 2015 by Danielle Davis | 3 Comments