This Year, I Want to Be a Happier Parent, Not Necessarily a "Better" One

So many conflicts at home are because I'm trying to enforce a rule that makes sense for one kid but not another. For example, I'd tried to impose a "no getting up from the table while everyone is still eating" policy only to discover that it helped one kiddo focus on her meal but was excruciating for my high-energy toddler who doesn't have much of an appetite in the evenings, anyway. I've already seen that responding differently has helped, and after some tension ("It's not fair that she gets to . . ."), we're all happier with a more needs-based approach to rules and consequences.