10 Family Resolutions for the New Year

Time is flying by with my kids, so I'm going to make sure I make the most of my time with them this year with these family resolutions.

Is it just me, or has this year flown by? Well really, every year has since I've had kids. Empty nesters weren't lying when they warned me how fast my kids would grow up. Before the next few years also fly by and my kids spread their wings to fly out of my nest, I'm going to make sure we make the most of this upcoming year with these family resolutions. Are you with me?

1. Start a weekly ritual.

For instance, once a week have a family movie night. Snuggle up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and show your kids the movies you loved when you were young, or check out Parenting's list of "Best Family Movies" for ideas. Another option: Have a game night. From charades and "Name that Tune" to Uno, Trivial Pursuit, and chess, you can probably find a game the whole family will enjoy. (By the way, if you haven't played Clue in years, you'll be amazed at just how fun that can be. It's pretty addicting, playing for hours kind of fun.)

2. Play hooky from school and work -- just once! -- and spend the day together.

Weekends are often so packed with birthday parties, sports, play dates, errands, and chores that families don't get quality time together. Pressing the pause button on your regular life for a day might just be what you need. Whether you just stay home in your pajamas all day, go see a movie, or plan a trip to the beach, it'll make it that much more exciting knowing you're sort of breaking the rules together. I live in Florida and have taken the kids to Disney World a bunch of times. However, we usually go on weekends or during school holidays. Recently, after my kids had two great report cards and my husband and I both went through a particularly hectic time at work, we decided to take a day off during the week (ok, fine, two days!) and head to the most magical place on Earth. I've gotta say, it was one of our best trips ever. My kids kept saying things like, "My friends are in science class right now, and I'm in line for Space Mountain." That definitely made the trip more special.

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To view the entire list, visit the Parenting website: http://bit.ly/1YtaxAU.