Do you want to be a better parent? Do you want this year to be your best year ever? Welcome to the first challenge of the year-long Parenting Resolution. It’s time to create a parenting learning plan!
I remember dreading the appointment with the career counselor at my university, but I knew it would be a cornerstone of my future decision making and educational success. It turned out the appointment proved to be one of the best investments of time I had ever made.
Courses I was thinking of taking were not considered critical to my career path, but programs I had overlooked were essential to obtaining my diploma. Without that meeting, I could have squandered time, money, and resources.
Whenever we want to achieve something, a plan is necessary. So when I made my Parenting Resolution, I knew one of the most important steps I could take is make a learning plan.
It’s hard to make a change when you lack inspiration. I get most inspired when I am in a “learning” mode. Whether it’s a book, a thought-provoking conversation, or a class. Learning inspires me.
Check out the first challenge of this year's #parentingresolution! Make this year your best! Click To TweetCreate a Parenting Learning Plan
January’s parenting resolution challenge is to create a parenting learning plan.
I have already decided that my learning plan will include reading one parenting book every three months. This means I will have read four parenting books by the end of this year. I’m a slow reader, plus I would still like some room for fiction books, which is why I chose to give myself three months to finish each book.
Read
At first, it was a daunting task to come up with the four books for this challenge. There are loads of parenting books to choose from!
After doing some research, and reading other bloggers’ reviews and suggestions, I decided on the following:
Raising Your Spirited Child – Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
Hands Free Mama – Rachel Macy Stafford
Simplicity Parenting – Kim John Payne (I read this in 2016 but I would like to read it again)
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids – Dr. Laura Markham
If I finish these early I will read:
Parenting the Wholehearted Child – Jeannie Cunnion
Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline – Becky A. Bailey
Coursework
The other part of my learning plan is to complete at least a few parenting courses, workshops, or seminars.
The Becoming a Deliberate Mom workbook is one of the best, easiest, parenting workbooks you could use! I go through the workbook at least once a year. There are seven simple units with challenges and homework for each unit. This workbook was designed for moms to use and apply regardless of their busy schedules. I will once again, use the Becoming a Deliberate Mom workbook to improve my parenting practices.
In addition, thanks to the internet, it’s easy to find online classes to attend.
While developing my learning plan, I stumbled across The Center for Parenting Education and their archive of FREE parenting webinars. I may try to attend a live session as well.
Some of the webinars I hope to listen to are:
“You’re so Mean – I Hate You!” – Taming the Angry Monster in Childen
Skills of Healthy Communication
Setting the Stage for Discipline that Works
The Right Attitude for Discipline that Works
Isn’t that such a cool resource?!
Moreover, my church belongs to RightNow Media, so I may do a couple learning seminars from their collection.
I’m interested in:
Have a New Kid By Friday – Kevin Leman
The Power of Love – Gary Thomas
5 Keys to Better Kids – Michael & Amy Smalley
Each of these studies has over five video sessions, so there’s a lot of content to watch and learn.
Reflect
The last part of my learning plan is to document my learning and reflection. I will start a parenting journal and write my thoughts about what I’ve learned and how I’m applying concepts to everyday life with my children. I find journaling to be remarkably edifying, as it’s a simple way to capture the growth and changes that are taking place.
So this is the challenge for January. Will you join me? Perhaps you would like to read some parenting books this year? Please share your recommendations, your thoughts, etc.
Also, make sure to use the hashtag #parentingresolution with any of your social media shares… you can even take a picture of your books and share it on Instagram!
This post is part of The Parenting Resolution series. The entire series is here:
Introduction: The Parenting Resolution: Make This Year the Best Year!
Challenge #1: The Parenting Resolution: Creating a Learning Plan
SHARE WITH OTHERS
What a great plan for January and do actually have a parenting book I have been meaning to read. So you just gave me that extra push here. Happy Monday and have a wonderful week ahead now xoxo :)
I thought it would be a good start to this challenge to map out how each of us plan to “learn” throughout the year. I would love to hear which parenting book you’re reading. My collection of parenting books is growing by the day – lol.
Wishing you a lovely week as well!
The 5 Love Languages of Children is on my reading list for February. I think I have Raising your Spirited Child somewhere on a bookshelf, waiting to be read as well. I think I will add that for either this month or March.
This is an interesting challenge and I look forward to participating!
I’m so excited for the 5 Love Languages book! I thought developing our own learning plans for the year would be a great way to start the parenting resolution – because we need knowledge to make a change.
I hope that these challenges inspire and encourage parents to be the best parents they can be and I hope you can join us at the beginning of February for the next challenge!
Love this! I want to read some more parenting books.. i will have to pin this for later. I loved “how to talk so your kids will listen and how to listen so your kids will talk”
I’m so excited to be launching this challenge but I felt we all needed to start from a place of willingness to learn and carve out our own learning goals. I’m almost done my first book… it’s going to be tough to decide which one to read next. Oh, and if you have a chance, check out one of those free online parenting workshops – they’re so good!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the first #parentingresoution challenge Lauren!
I enjoy reading parenting books. My favorite is the Positive Discipline series. I would like to re-read it this year – I feel like I need a refresher.
I haven’t read the positive discipline series. I’m going to check that out! Thanks for the recommendation!
Sounds like you have a great plan in place already. When we were in NY a friend of mine had that book, the 5 love languages of children and she recommended it to me. I plan on picking up a copy myself and reading it. Those were some great suggestions and webinars as well. Maybe I can listen in and read a few of the books right along with you.
I’m so excited about this challenge. I hope that it transforms me and the lives of the parents who participates. I want to make this the best year ever for my kiddos.
What a wonderful idea! I need to follow your lead and learn to be calmer. Baby steps to better parenting!
I am so excited about this #parentingresoution Kristen! 2015 was far from calm and peaceful for me – I want to be the safe place, the calm steady rock, the parent unwavering with patient guidance and undeniable love. I really hope you join us in this challenge. I just know it will revolutionize our parenting!
I LOVE this!! A few months ago I went to a seminar on Becky Baileys Conscious Discipline…it changed me that day and the techniques work! It takes me a long time (just finding time) to read books. I hope to follow this challenge.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Karen! I think an investment in time to train and inspire ourselves is so important. I put the free parenting workshops into my learning plan because I can always seem to find time to watch or listen something… even if I’m simply prepping dinner.
I’m delighted you’ll be following along with this challenge. I hope to invigorate and inspire us to be the parents we long to be!
I’m so excited you chose to read Raising Your Spirited Child! I’m almost done with it and it’s been so helpful. There are a lot of learnings and things to apply but I think it’s helping a little already. I think I’ll add the 5 Love Languages of Children to my reading list soon.
Great plan for this month Jennifer!
Well it was you who provoked me to read it! I’m really looking forward to that read too.
I loved the first Love Languages book – so I can’t wait to read the children’s one.
I’m excited you’re on this journey with me my friend!