Parental New Year’s Resolution Suggestions — For a More Balanced and Confident Family
A collection of simple, purposeful ideas to strengthen family life in the year ahead
By Les Huysmans
It’s been a year full of challenges and growth — for parents, teachers, and kids alike. So here’s a list of New Year’s resolutions that aim for balance, not perfection. Pick one or two, try them gently, and adapt them to what your family actually needs.
Healthy Eating
Encourage your child to try various fruits and vegetables. Make it fun by preparing a traditional Thai salad together. Emphasise nourishment over dieting.Organisational Skills
Help your child organise their belongings — start small with their school bag or bookshelf. Create a simple daily routine for tidying up together.Journaling
Encourage daily journaling — writing, sketching, or reflecting. Make it a quiet family ritual to share stories or ideas.Emotional Intelligence
Teach your child to acknowledge and apologise for mistakes — and model it yourself. In traditional Thai families, this may feel unfamiliar, but it’s powerful.Local Exploration
Spend weekends exploring local neighbourhoods and nature spots. Build a sense of place, culture, and connection.Balancing Screen Time
Replace screens occasionally with traditional games, crafts, or reading. Try a weekly “device-free” family night — and yes, that includes you.Sleep Hygiene
Swap bedtime TV for a calm story or chat. Establish consistent wind-down routines that prioritise sleep.
Recommended sleep times: 8. Learning to Save
- Infants (4–12 mo): 12–16 hrs/day
- Toddlers (1–2 yrs): 11–14 hrs/day
- Preschoolers (3–5 yrs): 10–13 hrs/day
- School-age (6–12 yrs): 9–12 hrs/day
- Teens (13–18 yrs): 8–10 hrs/day
Start a simple savings habit. Even a small piggy bank teaches independence, planning, and delayed gratification.
Fostering Positive Relationships
Help your child build kind, respectful friendships. Use everyday conversations and role-play to reflect on social choices.Sustainable Fashion
Visit a local thrift shop or organise a clothes-swap. Teach value, reuse, and conscious consumption through lived experience.Enjoyable Physical Activities
Find movement they enjoy. Dance, martial arts, football, biking — and join them when you can.Global Awareness and Diversity
Celebrate cultural traditions, try international foods, explore the map. Broaden their world gently and joyfully.Avoid Over-Scheduling
Protect downtime. Let them get bored. That’s often where creativity begins.Diverse Friendships
Encourage friendships across ages, languages, and backgrounds. Set the example with your own openness.Limit Social Media Sharing
Talk about online privacy and digital boundaries. Ask how they’d feel if you shared their photo with strangers.Accept People as They Are
Share your own stories about feeling left out or different. Model empathy and appreciation for difference.Appreciate Simple Pleasures
Watch the stars. Spot fireflies. Play Uno by candlelight. Keep joy simple, regular, and shared.Practice Gratitude
Try a “3 things I’m grateful for” moment at dinner. Keep it casual, honest, and light.Punctuality and Respect
Show up when you say you will — and apologise when you don’t. Model accountability with warmth.Conscious Consumerism
Talk about where things come from. Choose local when possible, and include them in the decision-making.Embrace Failures
Celebrate mistakes. Share your own. Ask what went wrong — and what they learned.
If this sparked anything — questions, rants, good old curiosity — come say hi via the About Les page.
Related reads: You might also enjoy Fostering Resilience, Not Resentment: A Journey into Mindful Parenting, and Exploring the Thai Education System: Is It Doing What It Was Meant To?.