It’s been roughly 365 days since we launched Child(ish) Advice and I must say how thankful I am to all of you who have read our content, shared your stories, and sent us support and love. I didn’t think sharing my OT knowledge would make such an impact, but I am so happy it did.

As Child(ish) Advice expands into other areas of child development and parenting, we are happy know that our “advice” has helped you and your families, and we hope to continue to put out useful, meaningful content.

With that said, the new year has us contemplating our goals and aspirations as parents. As we research and write, we can’t help but reflect on the kind of parents we want to be. This past year, I have learned what works and what doesn’t for my kids, as well as what sounds great on paper but doesn’t exactly translate well into practice. For me to be a better parent, I have to do better for myself.

So, here are my top New Year’s parenting resolutions:

1. Bend, or you’ll break. – I’ve known this saying since my college days and yet, it’s something I’m still trying to grapple with. With kids, I have to be able to adapt to their spontaneity. This is not easy as I am quite Type A. My schedule and routine will inevitably have a monkey wrench thrown in at least once in the day (hello, potty training), but I have to roll with the punches.
   
2. Learn to take a step back. –  In the clinic, I would observe and analyze behavior to evaluate my kiddos, especially if they were having a rough session. Unfortunately, with my own children, whether it’s because I’m tired or focused on other things, I’ll sometimes forget to take a moment and see what my kids really need and I’ll just react rather than appropriately respond. I need to implement this stop and wait strategy to my own children.
   
3. Self-care is the best care. – I don’t do this enough, but I am trying. Three kids under 4 can take its toll and after 4 months, there have definitely been a few times where I wanted to pull my hair out. However, that doesn’t do anyone any favors. Taking a moment for myself is important. When I feel good, I have more patience and am more mentally present for my kids. I don’t want them to remember me as an ogre that constantly yells and cries out of nowhere.
   
4. It takes a village. – Full confession: I am not good at seeking help when I need it. I’ve kind of been a lone wolf and it’s hard to break that cycle. I read a quote that said, “The best thing you can give your child is a village.” The truth is that it does take a village to raise a child, from family to friends and nannies/sitters in between. Letting people help provides a network of people that you and your kids can rely on.
   
5. Have a good hour! – This was an accidental saying from one of my clients long ago. I would say to him, “Have a good day,” and he would respond, “Bye! Have a good hour!” It is one of my favorite responses because it’s a reminder that one bad moment doesn’t mean an entirely bad day. Some moments are just bad. My son isn’t listening, the twins are crying, my schedule is thrown off, and all I want to do is cry out of frustration. Sure, it’s been a rough 2 hours, but I have many more hours to try and turn it around.

Thank you all again for such a great first year of Child(ish) Advice!
What new perspectives are you bringing into 2021?
Please share with us on the blog, or on the Child(ish) Advice Facebook page and Instagram.

Happy Parenting!