My good friend, Aubrey, posted about her new year's goals. I love the word "goals" instead of "resolutions." I don't know why, but "resolutions" has always sounded so negative to me. Kind of like: I'm-making-list-of-things-that-I'm-going-to-say-I'm-going-to-work-on-but-will-only-work-on-them-for-the-week-after-new-year's-day. At least, that's how all of my "resolutions" have turned out.
Another of my good friends, Erin, had a list of her goals for a year in the sidebar on her blog. Each time she reached one of her goals, she would put down the date it was accomplished. It was fun to watch her cross off her list, and even help with some of her goals.
So, I am going to post my goals on here as well. I figure that one of my goals is to be more consistent (not only in blogging, but in general) in posting on my blog, so I may as well make the updating on my goals a part of my blog. Here is my list of goals for this year:
1) Make my children more of a priority. It seems that each day I am replacing time to play/be with my children with time to surf the Internet or read. I think I need to realign my priorities and put the most important at the top of my list.
2) Praise, praise, praise. In the current book I am reading for the mother's book discussion in our homeschool group, the author states that "Praise" is one of the most effective teaching methods. I don't mean to brag, but I think I am pretty good about thanking my children for things that they do. But, I don't always praise them for who they are, and the good things they choose. This will be one of my goals: praise them and help them to know when they have made good choices.
3) Discard the muffin top I've been trying so desperately to hide. It's true ... I have tried really hard to disguise my muffin top, but the fact that I am also growing out of my jeans because my thighs and hips are also getting rounder ... well, I just have to buckle down and exercise a little bit more. It's so frustrating to do it though. I HATE exercising! I love how I feel after exercising, but I hate doing it. I'd much rather just play a sport. However, I am determined to be able to fit into my pants so I don't have to buy new ones!
4) Challenge my children with school. Right now we are/have been doing the basics for school. But, after going to lunch with Eliza today, I've been told that I could offer more projects and research assignments. Well, bring on the extra work! My goal is to offer at least Eliza (and probably Kate) at least one research paper every month related to either the specific literature book they are reading for language arts, or what we are reading in history or science. In addition to the research paper, I will also assign them some type of art project that also relates.
5) Consistency in all things. ('Nuf said.)
I also have a list of things that I want to work toward that aren't personal/behavioral/homeschool goals like those listed above. Things that I want to just do for the fun of it. Like:
Another of my good friends, Erin, had a list of her goals for a year in the sidebar on her blog. Each time she reached one of her goals, she would put down the date it was accomplished. It was fun to watch her cross off her list, and even help with some of her goals.
So, I am going to post my goals on here as well. I figure that one of my goals is to be more consistent (not only in blogging, but in general) in posting on my blog, so I may as well make the updating on my goals a part of my blog. Here is my list of goals for this year:
1) Make my children more of a priority. It seems that each day I am replacing time to play/be with my children with time to surf the Internet or read. I think I need to realign my priorities and put the most important at the top of my list.
2) Praise, praise, praise. In the current book I am reading for the mother's book discussion in our homeschool group, the author states that "Praise" is one of the most effective teaching methods. I don't mean to brag, but I think I am pretty good about thanking my children for things that they do. But, I don't always praise them for who they are, and the good things they choose. This will be one of my goals: praise them and help them to know when they have made good choices.
3) Discard the muffin top I've been trying so desperately to hide. It's true ... I have tried really hard to disguise my muffin top, but the fact that I am also growing out of my jeans because my thighs and hips are also getting rounder ... well, I just have to buckle down and exercise a little bit more. It's so frustrating to do it though. I HATE exercising! I love how I feel after exercising, but I hate doing it. I'd much rather just play a sport. However, I am determined to be able to fit into my pants so I don't have to buy new ones!
4) Challenge my children with school. Right now we are/have been doing the basics for school. But, after going to lunch with Eliza today, I've been told that I could offer more projects and research assignments. Well, bring on the extra work! My goal is to offer at least Eliza (and probably Kate) at least one research paper every month related to either the specific literature book they are reading for language arts, or what we are reading in history or science. In addition to the research paper, I will also assign them some type of art project that also relates.
5) Consistency in all things. ('Nuf said.)
I also have a list of things that I want to work toward that aren't personal/behavioral/homeschool goals like those listed above. Things that I want to just do for the fun of it. Like:
- Create my own pattern for a laptop bag and sell it as a pdf file on etsy.
- Go rock climbing.
- Learn something new, academically.
- Learn to play the guitar.
- Make my children's birthday cakes.
- Make homemade birthday and Christmas gifts for my children.
- Manage my time better.
- Finish reading The Book of Mormon with Eliza before she graduates primary (103 days).
- Read one classic piece of literature every month (this month it is Jane Eyre).
- Try something new (like make the picture frames I've been wanting to make for a while now).
- Improve my piano playing.
- Take an ASL class.
I know my list seems long, but I have 12 months to do it in, right? And, it will be easier for me to work on the larger list than the shorter list ... trust me. At any rate, I feel like I need to report about everything, so I am going to try to post every Monday with my progress. I will call it: Moving Forward Mondays. I'm hoping that I will be more focused on my goals, knowing that I have to post on here about them, and that I will get back into blogging on a more regular basis. We'll see how that goes.
Now that I've spilled ..... What are your goals this year?
Comments
I was also going to ask you about "Jane Eyre." Guess now I know. Wish you were closer so that when you were done, we could get together and watch the new (well newer, it came out last year) movie. Maybe we'll just pick a night once you're done and watch it together. . .hundreds of miles apart. :P (Oh and I'd love to join in on your classic reading too. When you finish pick another and I'll join you.)