12 Parenting Resolutions to Keep in 2013

It's unlikely your first attempt to kick a habit will be 100 percent successful—kids just aren't wired that way. The frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls judgment, problem solving and impulse control takes 25 years to fully develop, says Jennifer Kolari, author of <em>Connected Parenting: How To Raise A Great Kid.</em> ‘Parents are substitute frontal lobes; our job is to correct and inhibit and provide that brain function. So don't take it personally or be hard on yourself. It takes time to change a behaviour.'

Remember to give yourself a reality check

No More Keeping Up with the Joneses Kid culture can be crazy. Mortgaging the house for the latest high-tech nasal aspirator might sound like madness, but it’s easy to get swept away seeing everyone else so well equipped. (We’re talking to you, iPad mini.) And don’t even get us started on the preschool educational products that promise a smart baby. Your baby is already smart—they picked you as a parent, right? (Tell me more)

No More Super-Mom Syndrome
Lighten up, sister. Consuming yourself with keeping a super-clean house, the kids cutely dressed and yourself a model of excellent grooming, you’ll probably lose sight of what’s really important or really funny when it comes to enjoying your kids. They won’t remember the clean counters, but they will remember your belly laughs as they ran around the room naked. (Tell me more)

No More Germaphobia
Having kids means getting used to being bugged all the time. Not just for another glass of milk or to find the banana they left in their room last week (what?). We mean the kind of bugs that leave all of you sick for a week. Kids will get ill. Sanitize and take the reasonable steps, but don’t foster a fear of the potential dangers of all people, surroundings and surfaces. (Tell me more)

There are so many more resolutions you need to keep. Read on for the rest of our Parenting Resolutions to Keep in 2013.