Pediatrician suggests eight parenting goals to start the new year strong

New Year’s resolutions are typically sweeping and grand. But you can often reap the biggest rewards by building off strengths already in place. Helping to make your family safer, stronger and more harmonious in the coming year may not require a complete overhaul, but rather a few strategic tweaks.

The start of a new year is a great time to take a step back, take a breath and look at how you are taking care of yourself and others in your family. What are you doing right? Celebrate that first.

Then, here are some suggestions to consider:

1. Vaccines keep everyone in the community safe and are the best way to protect yourself, your children and other loved ones from many serious infections. They also help ensure that your child can remain in school and enjoy extracurricular activities and socializing with friends. Call your pediatrician to make sure your children are up-to-date on all recommended immunizations, and ask any questions you may have. The new year is also a good time to remind your kids that good hand hygiene habits will help prevent the spread of germs.

2. Build healthy digital habits. Devote some time to researching age-appropriate media. Make a family media-use plan or update an existing plan and try to prevent gaming from becoming an unhealthy habit. Remember that screen time shouldn’t always be alone time. Families can watch a show or play a video game together.

3. Read together. Set aside some time for reading each day. For younger kids, an easy way is to build it into your child’s bedtime routine. For older children and teens, share a favorite book by taking turns reading aloud or listening to audiobooks together. Reading has so many brain-boosting benefits for kids and also strengthens that special bond between you and your child.

4. Get outside more. Spending time outdoors can be a great mood booster. It also helps families get needed physical activity and vitamin D while enjoying time in nature. Spending time outside can also give your child’s eyes a healthy screen-time break. It may also help them sleep better at night by getting out their energy and avoiding screens that can make sleep difficult.

5. Check your car seat. Kids grow so fast and can easily outgrow car seats faster than parents realize, so check the height and weight limits on your seat. Keep kids riding rear-facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their car seat, because this is the safest mode.

6. Set aside time to cook as a family. Many families enjoy baking treats together during the holidays, but you can keep the fun going in the new year. Schedule special times to cook together as a family. Additionally, if your child is a picky eater, exposing them to new textures, flavors and even just spending more time in the kitchen mixing ingredients, can get them more interested in trying new, healthy foods.

7. Make a family disaster kit. It’s scary to think how disasters like wildfires, hurricanes or tornadoes could affect our communities. But extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Being ready is one way to be less afraid. Ask your children what they would want with them in a disaster and let them help you assemble basic supplies.

8. Mind mental health and practice self-care. When was the last time you had a checkup? Got proper rest? How you care for yourself affects how well you can care for your child. We also know depression and anxiety can happen to both moms and dads during and after pregnancy, even up to three years after having a child. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is available 24/7 by calling 1-833-943-5746. And for non-emergency support, you can contact Postpartum Support International: call or text “Help” to 1-800-944-4773.

2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

New Year’s resolutions are typically sweeping and grand. But you can often reap the biggest rewards by building off strengths already in place. Helping to make your family safer, stronger and more harmonious in the coming year may not require a complete overhaul, but rather a few strategic tweaks.

The start of a new year is a great time to take a step back, take a breath and look at how you are taking care of yourself and others in your family. What are you doing right? Celebrate that first.

Then, here are some suggestions to consider:

1. Vaccines keep everyone in the community safe and are the best way to protect yourself, your children and other loved ones from many serious infections. They also help ensure that your child can remain in school and enjoy extracurricular activities and socializing with friends. Call your pediatrician to make sure your children are up-to-date on all recommended immunizations, and ask any questions you may have. The new year is also a good time to remind your kids that good hand hygiene habits will help prevent the spread of germs.

2. Build healthy digital habits. Devote some time to researching age-appropriate media. Make a family media-use plan or update an existing plan and try to prevent gaming from becoming an unhealthy habit. Remember that screen time shouldn’t always be alone time. Families can watch a show or play a video game together.

3. Read together. Set aside some time for reading each day. For younger kids, an easy way is to build it into your child’s bedtime routine. For older children and teens, share a favorite book by taking turns reading aloud or listening to audiobooks together. Reading has so many brain-boosting benefits for kids and also strengthens that special bond between you and your child.

4. Get outside more. Spending time outdoors can be a great mood booster. It also helps families get needed physical activity and vitamin D while enjoying time in nature. Spending time outside can also give your child’s eyes a healthy screen-time break. It may also help them sleep better at night by getting out their energy and avoiding screens that can make sleep difficult.

5. Check your car seat. Kids grow so fast and can easily outgrow car seats faster than parents realize, so check the height and weight limits on your seat. Keep kids riding rear-facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their car seat, because this is the safest mode.

6. Set aside time to cook as a family. Many families enjoy baking treats together during the holidays, but you can keep the fun going in the new year. Schedule special times to cook together as a family. Additionally, if your child is a picky eater, exposing them to new textures, flavors and even just spending more time in the kitchen mixing ingredients, can get them more interested in trying new, healthy foods.

7. Make a family disaster kit. It’s scary to think how disasters like wildfires, hurricanes or tornadoes could affect our communities. But extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Being ready is one way to be less afraid. Ask your children what they would want with them in a disaster and let them help you assemble basic supplies.

8. Mind mental health and practice self-care. When was the last time you had a checkup? Got proper rest? How you care for yourself affects how well you can care for your child. We also know depression and anxiety can happen to both moms and dads during and after pregnancy, even up to three years after having a child. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is available 24/7 by calling 1-833-943-5746. And for non-emergency support, you can contact Postpartum Support International: call or text “Help” to 1-800-944-4773.

2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.