10 New Year Resolutions to cultivate a better relationship with Kids

10 New Year’s Resolutions Every Parent Needs 2023

Let’s start off 2023 right! I got 10 New Year’s Resolutions that EVERY parent needs to create better connections with their family and live a more balanced life.

Hello, my name is Kristina Campos. I am the founder of the Impactful Parent. Every week I give you parenting videos that can help you in your parenting journey. If you have a particular topic or parenting question about your school-aged child that you would like me to address, please submit it at [email protected] or by messaging me on social media. All submissions are kept anonymous. 

Today, we are talking about Impactful New Year’s resolutions. I have 10 fantastic ideas for creating a more meaningful relationship with your family and becoming a more impactful parent in 2023. Let’s get these new habits started today!

10 New Years Resolutions Every Parent Needs 2023 to cultivate a BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN

10 New Years Resolutions Every Parent Needs 2023

1. Reserve 1 hour of Your Family’s Day as Device and Electronic Free.

I know many people are giving me eye rolls right now. I get it. An electronic free hour might seem impossible, and you may get some pushback from the kids, but I am sticking by this one. I suggest implementing this electronic free hour when it seems more natural, like during the dinner hour or the hour before bed. Ideally, no one should be looking at screens during either of those times anyway. Make your electronic free hour before bedtime. You’ll also find that kids will fall asleep faster and sleep better because the blue light of screens keeps people awake.

2. Block Out Quality One-On-Time With Your Children EVERYDAY For at Least 15 MINUTES.

This is tougher than it seems, but it is entirely worth it. Each child needs at least 15 minutes of their parent’s undivided attention each day, regardless of age. These 15 minutes can be in the car, before bed, a meal, or just a quick check-in. What matters most is that you are consistent, give your child your full attention (no phones), and it is one-on-one time (no siblings allowed.) Consider rethinking how you spend time with your kids one-on-one. Let them call the shots for those 15 minutes. Let them pick the activity.

3. Set a Time When Work MUST Be Put Away and Left For the Next Day.

Letting the workday drag on creates an environment of stress and disappointment for kids. They don’t understand the responsibilities of adults, so instead, they view it as “work is more important than me.” Not only is that bad, but you’ll be setting healthy boundaries for your work-home life balance too. This can be wonderful for your own stress levels and mental health.

4. Read With Your Child No Matter What Their Age.

If you have older kids, you can pick an audiobook to listen to whenever you’re driving from one place to another. If you have younger children, choose a chapter book you can read TO THEM. There is something special about a parent reading aloud to their child, and most parents stop this tradition once their child knows how to read themselves. That’s so sad! Sharing a book is special- even an audiobook. It gives you something to talk about with your child and something you’ll find your children will look forward to each day if you keep it consistent and make it a priority. 

5. Start Eating Better- Even Make A Garden Together.

The goal I have for you is to limit the amount you eat fast food each week OR start a garden in your kitchen or backyard with your kids. How kids eat is greatly influenced by the example the parent sets. Let’s face it, there aren’t many kids out there cooking their own meals. They look to you for what they are supposed to eat. If you don’t want to encourage chips and cookies as a daily snack- then stop buying the chips and cookies and leaving them in the house, OR you can buy a lock box and put all the “junk food” inside the lock box so only you can access the junk food box and monitor your child’s intake. Gardening is also a great way to promote healthy eating, and gardening outside with your kids is fantastic for kids to ground themselves and explore nature and science together.

10 New Years Resolutions Every Parent Needs 2023 to cultivate a BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN

6. Eat Dinner Together At Least Three Times A Week and Make 1 of Those Meals A Family Meeting.

I know families are busy with sports and all those extracurricular activities. However, there is still no replacement for the quality time of family meals. This is a time for the whole family to sit and regroup. Then, make one of those family meals an official family meeting. Family meetings put everyone on the same page. This is where everyone in the family will do 3 things:

• Announce their schedule for the week.
• Bring up concerns/problems for the family to discuss.
• Declare 1 thing they loved about the past week and 1 thing they look forward to in the coming week.

You will be surprised how beneficial family meetings and dinners can become!

7. Exercise WITH Your Children at Least Once A Week.

Alright, I hope you exercise more than once a week, but either way- taking ONE of those workouts and making it a joint effort can do great things for your kids. Consider that workout can be swimming, hiking, a long walk, a game of tennis, and a variety of other activities! This workout time can also be considered one of your one-on-one times with your child if they choose the activity. Either way, you will promote exercise and movement, which is the most important here!

10 New Years Resolutions Every Parent Needs 2023 to cultivate a BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN

8. Volunteer With Your Children At Least 2 Times This Year

Go to your local food bank, donate outgrown toys and clothes, shovel snow for the elderly neighbor, or help at a local soup kitchen… there are so many volunteer community service activities that your family can help with; you need to make an effort. Most kids will never do volunteer work alone, so you need to lead the charge here and demonstrate the importance of taking time out of our year to help the community. Some of the lessons your children will learn are incredibly valuable: gratitude, perspective, understanding, empathy, and a dedication to service.

9. Make a Routine for Your Week and Stick With It.

A routine might be boring, but it is one of the most important things you can give your family. Routine creates predictability and security for children. Kids will complain less and thrive more when a consistent routine is in place. In addition, a routine will help you keep to your New Year’s resolutions.

10. Role model what you want to see.

Role modeling is entirely underestimated by parents. It is the single most powerful influence you have on your children. Kids will not listen to you if you don’t walk the walk and talk the talk. If you don’t exercise, eat all your meals on the go, never put down your phone or never volunteer in your community, your kids will likely mimic your behaviors in their own way. If you want your kids to pick up their clothes from the floor, you can’t have a bedroom full of your clothes scattered all over the ground. They won’t listen to you. But, the reverse is true also. If you role model the behaviors you want to see, your children are more likely to mimic those behaviors too.

Let’s start off 2023 with new goals! You got this!

If this information was valuable for you today, BECOME a more impactful parent by downloading The Impactful Parent App. The Impactful Parent app is FREE and full of episodes like this one that will help you in your parenting journey. Investing in your family looks like learning the warning signs of certain behaviors so you can stop bad things before they start, discovering new parenting techniques to make your parenting more effective, and joining a community of like-minded parents that also want to be the best parent they can for their child. All this, plus so much more, can be found inside The Impactful Parent app, so download it today. You got nothing to lose with this free parenting resource. Go to theimpactfulparent.com and discover how you can step up your parenting game and be a more impactful parent.

 But until next time, you got this, parents. I am just here to help.