Realistic Family New Year Resolutions for 2026 (From One Tired Mom to Another)

Hey mama… if we were sitting together right now with lukewarm coffee (because when is it ever hot?), I’d tell you this: I am so over resolutions that require color-coded calendars, a label maker, and a version of myself that wakes up at 5 a.m. I want a simpler year, but I want it in ways I might actually stick to.
So here are the family New Year resolutions we’re making in 2026- the honest, messy, “this is real life” version.

Stop Treating Every Activity Like It’s Mandatory

My kids are notorious for begging to join everything- soccer, robotics, art club, walking club… it goes on. This year one of our family new year resolutions is- If we’re all exhausted just thinking about it… we don’t sign up.

I literally sat down with my kids and asked, “What’s one thing you actually want to stick with?”
Shockingly, they picked. And shockingly, it made life easier. Also, I’ve started saying, “Let me check our energy level” instead of “Let me check our calendar.” It’s wildly freeing.

Stop Letting Screens Be the Default Babysitter (Especially When They Turn feral After)

Look. I am not anti-screen. Sometimes Bluey is the only thing standing between me and a meltdown (mine, not theirs). But the 2026 plan? Screens are a tool, not a lifestyle.

For us, that means:

• no screens until clothes are on and teeth are brushed (my sanity thanks me)
• choosing ONE show instead of channel-surfing the whole streaming universe
• moving chargers out of bedrooms because apparently kids can watch Minecraft videos at 2 a.m. like it’s nothing

It’s imperfect, but it’s helping.

Declutter the Places That Actually Make Me Lose It

Not the whole house. Not 27 drawers. Just the spots that make me mutter under my breath at least twice a day.

For me, it’s:

• the kitchen counter
• the car (HOW do goldfish crackers reproduce?)
• that corner where everyone dumps backpacks

Our family new year resolution here is: Reset the chaos zones once a day. Ignore the rest. It’s honestly life-changing.

Build One Small Ritual That Makes the Whole Week Feel Better

Not a big tradition. Not a binder of ideas. Just one small, repeatable moment. For us, it became
“Talk Tuesdays.” I make tea, sit on the couch, and the kids tell me one thing they loved and one thing that was tough. It lasts five minutes, but it’s the one thing we all look forward to.

If You Want a Simpler 2026, Start Tiny

Forget giant resolutions for your family New Year resolutions. Forget being perfect. Pick something so small it’s almost silly, that’s the one that actually sticks. And if no one told you yet: you’re doing great. Truly.