Increasing Family Time-Goals for a New Year

I often say that I think of the New Year as a time to set goals rather than resolutions. My goals change every year. Sometimes a goal gets renewed for another year. But the most important thing is taking the time to evaluate and see how I can create the best life possible for myself and my family.

My boys are a huge part of that goal setting process and this year in particular, spending time with them is a focus for me. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busy routine of our lives and not realize that time, and our children’s youth, is quickly slipping away. As part of the Playtex Mom Trust program, I was asked to share my goals for the coming year and hopefully provide some inspiration to other parents setting their own goals. So to ensure that my boys and I are both enjoying their childhood, these will be three of my goals for the coming year:

1) I Will Make Time for Fun

My boys and I got to have all kinds of amazing experiences last year, from our first trip to Disneyland to a fabulous vacation at the Beaches Resort in Jamaica to a road trip to the West Edmonton Mall. Those are memories that will last a lifetime, but they were interspaced by weeks and weeks of routine. Some of life’s best experiences are ones we have at home, so one day each weekend, I will be exclusively planning a fun activity with my boys. Whether we head to the kitchen to make cookies together or pack a picnic and spend the day at the park, I will be making consistent quality time with my boys one of my top priorities.

2) I Will Get Offline…Sometimes

I love the social media world. I wouldn’t do what I do for a living if I didn’t. But it never sleeps and it can become immersive very easily. I’ve learned in the last four years that there is always more work to be done and that planning to shut off my phone or close my laptop after I’ve finished just doesn’t work, because I’m never really finished. So I’ll be setting a schedule instead to ensure I stick to my goal. For three hours in the afternoon, every single day, I will shut down my electronics and give my attention to my boys.

3) I Will Create Celebrations

The wonderful thing about life is that almost any event can be a cause for celebration. So at least once a month, I will find something to celebrate with my boys. Just like I once celebrated their first tooth, first haircut or first time using a sippy cup, I will celebrate their current accomplishments and do so with creativity. Whether we throw a party in honour of Zackary’s great spelling test or Benjamin learning to spell his name, I want my boys to learn to embrace their victories, to celebrate them and to know that I’m as proud of them now as I was when they reached those baby milestones years ago.

Daily, weekly and monthly goals, all designed to ensure that I spend quality time with my boys and give them the attentional, recognition and love that they need. Because in the end, spending more time with my children is one of the most important and worthwhile goals I could possibly set for myself. Do you have goals to increase your time with your family in 2014?