10 New Year's Resolutions For Moms That Will Help You Kick 2018's Ass

By Laurel Niedospial
Unsplash/ Brooke Lark
Unsplash/ Brooke Lark

Whether or not you're a fan of celebrating New Year's Eve, the holiday does ignite feelings of reinvention and starting over. And when you're a mom, chances are you're probably harder on yourself than you need to be and constantly thinking of ways to be better (spoiler alert: you're enough and you're doing just fine). But, still, setting goals for yourself and making resolutions can be healthy and beneficial, even if they're small and practical. Some of the smallest changes can lead to the biggest results, right? Use these 10 simple resolutions for 2018 as a guide to help you live your best mom life.

  1. Understand your anger better and learn how to deal with it. We all get angry sometimes, and while our feelings are completely valid, how we handle it may need to improve. Think about the times when you lost control and what contributed to that. Responding to children and situations in a calm and reasonable way will make 2018 infinitely better.
  2. Destroy mom guilt and all of its evil ways. You are a beautiful, amazing soul who is trying your best through this world of motherhood. No childhood can be perfect, and perfect is boring anyway.
  3. Stop comparing yourself to other parents. One of my good friends is the kind of parent I wish I could be, the type of person who is OK with minimal sleep and still manages to make a Pinterest-worthy spread for snack time. That's not me, it never has been, and it never will be. What we both excel at is loving our children, which should be enough. It is enough.
  1. Make consistent time for yourself. I know, I know — it's way easier said than done. But rather than just saying you want more time for yourself, actually plan it. Put it on a calendar, pick a hobby, and give yourself some much-needed "you time."
  2. Find a hobby that has nothing to do with your kids. My husband brews beer, and I like to train for distance running. These hobbies give us time to ourselves to think and feel rejuvenated as parents and as a couple.
  3. Give children more autonomy. Certainly with a newborn, this isn't the resolution for you, but with slightly older kids, resolve to let them start having more say over their day-to-day. Chores, getting dressed, and meal planning will help them feel more accomplished.
  1. Shoot for a clutter-free home. Children's things have a way of piling up, and while this is to be expected, it certainly doesn't have to stay that way. Figure out an organizational system that works for you and your family. It sure beats having to step on Legos in the middle of the night.
  2. Take small steps to take care of your health. Maybe it's drinking more water or actually scheduling that dentist appointment you've been neglecting for months, but everyone has something they can do for their health. You have to be around for a long time to love those little ones of yours, so stop pretending like your health doesn't matter.
  3. Put away the pile of parenting books that are collecting dust on your shelf. Yes, it's helpful to turn to the experts in times of crisis, but if it's making you feel worse about yourself as a parent, is it really worth it?
  4. Practice delegating responsibilities. If you and your partner both lead busy lives, which presumably you do, delegating work is key. Not everything needs to be done by one person; that's how burnout happens, which can make 2018 a stressful year.