New Year’s Eve is a special time. It is a time when you get to make wishes for things you would like to have come true.
You can wish to take off a few extra pounds. Maybe you want to become a healthier eater. You can vow to be a more consistent parent. Maybe you can even wish you could just enjoy your children more than ever before.
You can tell yourself you will do all kinds of things you have been putting off with New Year’s resolutions. Give yourself a chance to think of things you would like to have be different and then make a resolution to make the change. Then, begin the work of making your resolution become a reality.
One resolution that is worth considering is to keep track of how much television your child watches each day. If you realize it is too much, you can take action to bring it under control. This resolution helps make kids smarter and thinner.
Another resolution that makes a difference is about eating. When your baby is born, her tummy, on day one, is the size of a small marble (healthline.com). By day three, it will be the size of a shooter marble. By day 10, it is the size of a ping pong ball.
In fact, the capacity of an adult stomach is only the size of a softball or a melon. Remember, it doesn’t take much to fill a newborn or even an adult-size tummy.
When you make resolutions, be sure you can follow through on them. Here are some rules to follow when you try to make some changes in your child’s behaviour (babycenter.com):
Pick your priorities. Pick just one or two to focus on. It might be whining, talking back, or tantrums. Work on being on top of it every time to show your consistency.
Remember, this won’t happen overnight. It will probably take several weeks to make a change. If you really show you mean to stop some kind of behavior, it may even be confusing to her. Your response is different than in the past and she sees it. Now you are following through to see the correct behavior and that will take a few weeks for her to really believe things are different and will continue to be different.
Remind yourself. Look for the change you want to see. Set it up for you to remember.
Time it right. Don’t try to make this change just before a big event. Pick a normal time, not just as she begins a new school or before you move.
Expect resistance. This is normal. If you expect this, you won’t get frustrated and get off the track.
Look for help. Get assistance from your partner and your child’s teachers and grandparents.
Changing your child’s behavior can be difficult. It is well worth the time and effort. Following through on your resolutions to work on changing negative behavior can also be difficult but worth the time and effort.
Resolutions are a way to start doing the work. Give this magic way a good start as we celebrate the new year.
—Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which published newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents.