Did my headline confuse you?  Backwards thinking may sound backwards, but it’s a part of my 2013 New Year’s Resolution.  It’s always great to set New Year’s Resolutions and goals for the short- and long-term this year for ourselves and our families.  Here’s a twist:  Sit down with your kids, and come up with 10 things you did RIGHT in 2012.  Perspective and gratitude are the obvious rewards, but it also sends the message that we don’t necessarily have to reset everything each year.  Maybe something IS working great in your family’s “organization structure.”  Maybe it’s something you didn’t even realize was successful, but one of your kids finds very useful.  Fresh starts are great in so many ways, but so is reflecting and appreciating what IS successful and productive in our lives.

Here are some more business of motherhood tips for resolutions…

1.  Keep a family journal, and take turns taking notes each New Year.  How fun would it be to set family goals, and revisit each quarter to see how you’re doing?  Companies do this all of the time; families are also a great example of a mixture of personalities and approaches, and recording and revisiting goals is a great way to teach our kids so many things.

2.  Set individual AND family goals.  See if each family member can identify 3-5 things to work on; and as a family, come up with some goals as well.  Maybe it’s “unplugging” at all meals and putting the foot down on texting at mealtime.  Or, look at the family chore list, and see if each person can take ownership of something to share the burden.

3.  Celebrate successes, and be willing to take baby steps.  Expecting dramatic change overnight isn’t realistic, and will probably create more stress and tension than its worth.  Set small, manageable goals that are easily achievable and that will motivate you to keep chipping away.

4.  Include something whimsical and fun.  I tend to be so business-oriented, it’s easy to forget about FUN.  How about take turns planning a family adventure each month; learn to make cake pops; stay up really late one weekend as a family and watch 3 movies in a row…

Do you have any ideas?  Add a comment to this post to keep the conversation going!