9 Practical New Year's Resolutions for Busy Parents

It never fails. The New Year approaches and the most commonly asked question suddenly changes from "What happened on Lost last week?" to "So, what are your resolutions?" The answer, while often identified at that precise moment, is nonetheless delivered with the strongest of intentions and commitment. Until January 6.

Many resolutions are unsuccessful because they were not grounded in reality from the beginning. After all, it's hard to lose 5 pounds when a chocolate fix is required each afternoon to keep us sane until bedtime; it's challenging to do a better job with the finances when the family isn't getting any smaller; and some toddler antics about which we vow to remain more calm just plain are irritating!

This year, bypass the standard resolutions. It's time for a few that we just might be able to keep.

We'd all like far more time than this, I'm sure, but it shouldn't be too hard to schedule just 30 minutes to focus on ourselves each day. Use this time to take a bath, read a magazine, take a walk, do yoga, return email, or just sit quietly in the dark. It's important to designate a portion—even if it's only a small portion—of your day to yourself. After all, if you don't make yourself a priority, you can't expect anyone else to either.