Happy New Year to Our Wonderful Families,
This time of year is one of my favorite. It’s a season of reflection and renewal. The New Year inspires us to reset, reassess, and set new intentions. As parents, it’s also a wonderful opportunity for our families to come together and embrace this fresh start.
Each year, I take a moment to jot down my resolutions. They tend to be familiar: clean my basement, save more money, exercise more, and call my mother every day. These are important goals, but as I looked over my list this year, I realized something—they are the same every year. They reflect habits I should work on consistently, not necessarily areas for growth.
This realization prompted deeper reflection. What if my resolution focused on something that truly stretched me? Something that would challenge my thinking and push me out of my comfort zone?
This year, I’m resolving to expand my creative thinking by trying new forms of creative expression—creating, writing, decorating, painting, or crafting—despite not feeling “good” at any of them. It’s a bit daunting, but also exciting. And it feels like true growth.
I’m sharing this with you because I believe in the power of modeling lifelong learning for our children. They learn so much from watching us—our efforts, our struggles, and our joys as we explore new paths. By stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing the process of learning, we show them that growth is a lifelong journey.
As a parent to now-grown children, I’ve learned that being a good parent is not about perfection—it’s about striving to be the best version of yourself. This New Year, I encourage you to think about resolutions that nurture your growth in unexpected ways. What is something new you can learn or try? What new horizon might you explore?
Our children will see our efforts, our courage, and the joy that comes from learning something new. What a gift to share with them as we step into this New Year together!
Wishing you and your family a year filled with growth, learning, and joyful discovery.
Warm regards,
Renee Fiema, Ed.D.
