Another new year is almost here, and that make many of us re-evaluate our lives and figure out what we want to improve. I have some goals for various parts of my life, but I want to focus on some of my mom resolutions relating to my job as a mom.

Here are 5 mom resolutions I want to work on in 2017:

Speak more kindly.
Lots of mommies probably make this mom resolutions: I want to have more patience with my kids. Instead of always harping at them about what they did wrong, I want to focus on all of the things they do right and do well. I want to be more gentle with my words. I want to remind the kids not to do things by using the word “please” instead of saying “no” and “don’t” so often. I don’t want to issue crazy threats (“If you don’t come here right now, we won’t xyz”). I’ve been known to do that and I want to stop.

Quit worrying so much about the housework.
I will always want my home to be tidy. I think a relatively clean and picked-up home is a healthy environment for everyone in the family. With that being said, I also need to learn to loosen up a bit when every single thing isn’t put away at the end of the day. I am home with my three kids and I write on the side, so I don’t have loads of spare time (most moms don’t). I want to try not to guilt myself if every toy isn’t put up, and I do not want to feel the need to wash every single dish before sitting down in the evening. Let’s face it, mama deserves to put her feet up! I’ve always given myself guilt trips if everything isn’t done (I’m a stay-at-home mom; it should all be clean, right?). I love that meme about how cleaning with kids at home is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos, and it makes me chuckle because it’s so true! While I will never let the house “go,” I do think I need to quit making myself crazy tidying up nonstop all day.

Empower my children.
My point above leads me to this portion of my resolution. My two bigger kids are 4 1/2 and 6. They can and do help me a little around the house and I want to continue that and teach them even more ways they can help. I don’t want to enable them and make them entitled children. There is no reason they can’t carry their dishes to the sink when they’re finished, pick up their toys, and help me carry clean clothes to their bedrooms. These tasks are doable, yet sometimes I get in a hurry to just get things done and do it for them. Instead of doing it all and essentially teaching my kids that I will do things for them, I plan to delegate more tasks to them in 2017. It’s good for all of us.

Take care of myself.
Can I get an Amen? The ONLY way I can give 100% to my kids is to make sure I take care of myself, too. I need to get rest (as much as possible with a 1-month-old!) and make sure I do things for me, the things that I love and enjoy. It isn’t always easy to get exercise these days, but I try to prioritize it and want to be better about it in 2017. I want to eat healthier foods and set a good example for my very picky children. I don’t want to lose sight of who I am while I’m so busy taking care of everyone else. As moms, we need to remember that there is nothing selfish about taking some time away and doing the things that make us happy.

Enjoy more of the “little” things.
My third (and last) baby was born on Halloween. I think his birth is yet another reminder of how fast the time goes by and how quickly babies turn into toddlers who quickly turn into school-aged children. I feel like I am pretty good about enjoying the little things, but there are definitely days I don’t. I am working to relish each moment with each of my kids. Over the weekend, I was snapping pictures of the kids. No one was doing anything particularly “worthy” of a photo shoot, but that was the beauty of it. Largely due to Facebook (in my opinion) we spend our time trying to capture the perfect smile on the trip to the zoo or the pictures on Santa’s lap. How about remembering the everyday moments? The ones of kids playing with play dough, building forts, and rocking baby dolls? The ones with messy hair and kids wearing pajamas? While I love to show off on Facebook as much as the next gal, those everyday moments are ones I never want to forget.

Every new year, people talk about all of the changes they want to make to improve your lives. Whether you are looking to further your education, exercise more, eat healthier, become a better mom, or anything in between, GO FOR IT! It’s never too late to change. Whatever your mom resolutions are, I hope that 2017 brings you lots of love, happiness, and success.

What are your 2017 mom resolutions?

Photo credit: http://myomgwoman.blogspot.com

Let’s connect on social media, too:

Mumbling Mommy on Facebook

Mumbling Mommy on Twitter

Mumbling Mommy on Pinterest

Category: Babies

Tags: cleaning