I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. But I am big on commitments. And I’m also big on making plans to do things for, and with, my children. Therefore, New Year’s is as good a time as any to make some promises about things to do in the year ahead.
They don’t have to be big-ticket items. They don’t have to force me to get a third or forth job, either. They just have to be things that involved dads can commit to over the ensuing months. Here are a slew of ideas.
1. Spend less time on your smartphone/tablet/laptop.
2. Get down on the floor with your kids to play.
3. Make a list of cool places to visit: parks, museums, indoor play areas, planetariums, and historical sites.
4. Introduce your kids to a new hobby.
5. Exercise together as a family.
6. Start and finish a classic book together.
7. Eat more meals together as a family.
8. Go see a new movie the night it premieres.
9. Wake up one morning and take a spontaneous day trip somewhere you’ve never been.
10. Surprise your kids at school with lunch from their favorite restaurant.
11. Take each of your kids out alone for a special “Daddy Day.”
12. Take your kids shopping to buy a surprise gift for their mother.
13. Create a new family tradition.
14. Teach your kids something that you’re good at: woodworking, sports, music, gardening, etc.
15. Take the family out to an expensive dinner once a year.
16. Start a weekly family game night.
17. Invite the parents of your children’s friends over for dinner.
18. Look at old family photos and make a family tree.
19. Compile a year's worth of photos and videos and create a video montage.
20. Binge watch a family-friendly TV show together.
21. Start a journal to capture the special family moments of the year.
What are your New Year's resolutions? Share with us in the comments.
Join @ParentingSquad on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest. Have a funny, touching or interesting story to share about kids and parenting? Email us at Editor (at) ParentingSquad.com.
