Great entertainers like Art Linkletter and Bill Cosby recognized the attraction of the pure innocence and good humor of kids being kids.  When he was younger, my middle son Ethan (now 18)  seemed to be constantly auditioning for his own regular slot on “KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS.”  Some of my all time favorites were his insistence that our first (and cleanest) President was “George Washingmachine” and that every year, around this time, we gathered our pens and swords and prepared to make our “New Year’s Revolution!”
In the spirit of my son’s New Year’s Revolution, here is a list of some New Year’s Resolutions for parents and families.  Hindsight is always 20/20 so it is easy for me to write these out now, although I wish that I had perhaps been more diligent myself in adhering to these suggestions over the years.  Most of these are painfully obvious, yet so easy to let slip by, so I hope you don’t mind me stating them here as a reminder for us all as we enter 2009.  These are suggested resolutions for parents, and for us parents to instill upon our kids.
TOP TEN NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES:
- Eat meals together as a family as much as possible (and with  NO TV, Phones, iPods or handheld games).
- READ. Books, comics, magazines, newspapers, anything and everything. Just READ.
- HUG more.
- Say “I love you” more.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat healthier.
- Have more real conversations, and LISTEN.
- Stay in touch more with friends and relatives in other cities.
- Learn to play a musical instrument.
- Recognize what you have and be grateful, every day.
How about you? What are your family oriented resolutions? What should be added to this list?  And as for those kids saying the darndest things, here is a classic clip of the late, great Art Linkletter.
Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 20, Ethan, 18 and Olivia, 17). He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast. You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab.
Photo Credit: © design56 – Fotolia.com
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Hey I’m watching Bill Cosby:Himself right now.
Great resolutions. Reading is at the top of my list also, as well as start reading to my 7 month old. Learning an instrument would be great, I sent all my nephews and nieces Ukeleles for christmas. If I can get merely one of them to pick it up, I succeeded.
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Hey I’m watching Bill Cosby:Himself right now.
Great resolutions. Reading is at the top of my list also, as well as start reading to my 7 month old. Learning an instrument would be great, I sent all my nephews and nieces Ukeleles for christmas. If I can get merely one of them to pick it up, I succeeded.