5 Ways to Be Less Overwhelmed in the Parenting New Year

Now that the holiday dust has settled, and the last of the broken ornaments are swept up and away, it’s time to really settle in and reflect on the glorious New Year ahead. New Year’s resolutions are almost trite at this point, but there’s still something to be said about a fresh start—a blank slate—awesome new possibilities if you’re willing to embrace them.

As parents—busy, non-stop human doings—I find January to be my favorite month of the year.

I’m a holiday junkie. I absolutely love the magnetic magic of Christmas coupled with the peaceful, wondrous feeling offered up by the Winter Solstice. As hectic as the season is, the majestic beauty of the festive lights and decorations, connecting those warm, loving feelings with family and friends throughout the holiday, along with the anticipation of opening the first gift of the season on a peaceful but electric day in late December offers me a feeling like no other.

But then, those hours of shopping for the perfect gifts, the care we take in giftwrapping, the long, creative hours spent baking, cooking, and presenting a spectacular holiday meal, it all seems to be gone in just minutes! Another holiday season come and gone.

January, however, is like reconnecting with a long, lost friend. After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, this beautiful first month on the calendar allows us to catch our breath, and refocus on what drives us, what makes us tick. If you’ve been hanging by a thread the past few weeks—going through the motions just to survive yet another holiday season—you can put that effort behind you and gear up for a brand new, fresh start.

Between navigating the holidays and the extremely busy parenting days that we face, daily life can seem so overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be like that, however, if you’re willing to embrace a new approach this year. Instead of feeling frazzled, here are five ways for you to feel less overwhelmed and more empowered as a parent in the New Year.

Five Ways to Be Less Overwhelmed as a Parent

1. Get One More Hour of Sleep
2. Implement an "Hour of Power"
3. Rework Your Discipline Strategies
4. Practice Mindfulness
5. Let It Go

We’ll take a closer look at each.

1. Get One More Hour of Sleep

When life is very full, one way that many of us (myself included) find a way to cut corners is to compromise our sleep. I know firsthand because for years, I was (and to some extent still am) a night owl. Raising eight kids so close in age has been full of adventure, lots of love, and many, many surprises. It’...

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