When we announced the full name we’d chosen for our newborn, my mother-in-law oohed with delight. “It’s very presidential! He’s going to be successful with a name like that.” It was hard to wrap my head around making it to the next diaper change, much less the presidential election of 2065. Now, that year doesn’t look nearly as far away, and I’ve learned how quickly time flies when you’re parenting.
One other thing I’ve learned is that the years are going to come and go whether we’re actively working toward something or sitting back and letting life happen. In the early years of our children’s lives, we don’t have to walk around like finger-paint- and syrup-covered zombies. We can actually set some goals to live more fully and form our children more completely. So here are five 5-year parenting goals moms of toddlers should reach for.
1. Learn your mom personality.
As toddlers become little kids and then big kids, our parenting needs might change, but our styles likely will stay the same. Pinpointing how we approach parenting while they are itty-bitty will help us see where we are gifted and where we need to ask for help. Take the MOM I AM Personality Test here.
2. Pray for your child daily.
Math time! If you pray for your child every day for the next five years, you’ll have prayed for him or her 1,825 times. What a gift to be able to say to your child that, since they were a toddler, “not a day has gone by that I haven’t prayed for you by name.” We have some great printables to help you, like these 10 Ways to Pray for Your Toddler.
This is one of those parenting goals that gives back as much as it gives. Research from Baylor University found that people who pray to a God they trust to comfort and protect them experience fewer symptoms of anxiety and worry. In other words, when you bring your kids to a loving God in prayer, you’re not just covering them. You’re finding shelter yourself.
3. Discover your purpose in parenting.
This feels like a big-picture concept, and it is. But when your kids are young, it’s the perfect time to decide the why behind your parenting goals. Why are you setting that rule? Why are you sending your child to that preschool? It all comes back to your purpose. Whether you want to raise a future leader, a child who loves to serve others, or a person who stands for truth, identifying your purpose will influence every decision and serve as a rudder to steer you in the right direction.
4. Instill a love of reading in your kids.
Developing a love of reading should be high on your list of 5-year goals. Reading helps with cognitive development, increases empathy and creativity, sparks curiosity, and helps with concentration. With little kids, sitting down and reading together isn’t the only way to get your child to fall in love with reading. Even when you’re on the go (or your child is extra wiggly), you can plant the love of words early and often.
5. Focus on loving the phase you’re in.
I’m sure you’ve been told by some well-meaning mom of older kids to “savor every moment of these early years.” If you’re like me, you’ve had to bite your tongue because, wow, these “precious” years are really hard. But here’s the truth—you are in a position now where everything is ahead of you, and if you keep looking for the next phase, you’re going to realize you missed out on the time you were in. A great 5-year goal is to master the art of living in the now and seeing the gift in this time in your child’s life.
What parenting goals do you want to set for yourself?
