Parenting Thoughts for the New Year: Changing “I Should” to “I Could”

The start of a new calendar year tends to be a time for us to reflect on the past year, and also make plans for what we envision in the 12 months ahead. Some people make resolutions, write to-do lists, or set goals for themselves. What often happens with these lists and resolutions, however, is that they fall by the wayside shortly after they’ve been written. One of the reasons for this is the pressure we put on ourselves to accomplish these things; and that pressure and level of expectation leads to stress, resentment, and ultimately giving up on what we originally set out to do.nnI recently heard someone talk about changing our “I shoulds” to “I coulds.” That really resonated with me on a personal and professional level, as it seems so easy to get caught in the trap of stressing about everything I “should” do. When we think of things in terms of “I should,” we exist in a pressured state of feeling forced to do something. Thinking about what I “could” do shifts us into a mindset of choice—I am deciding in this moment whether to do this thing. It not only sounds different, but it feels different to phrase options from the perspective of “I could” instead of “I should.” There is an internal mindset shift that occurs when we do this; and it allows us to move forward with trying to do the things we could, instead of getting stuck in the mode of pressuring ourselves to do what we should.nnSince we are at the start of a new year, we have the opportunity to think about the year ahead in terms of “I coulds.” Instead of making lists of all the things we “should” do, why not think about all we could do and accomplish this year? Here are some simple ways we can apply this thinking to our parenting and the relationships we have with our children:nn1. I could spend a few minutes of 1-1 time with my child each day.n2. I could have my child help me with a chore I need to get done.n3. I could plan a simple activity that our family can all do together each week.n4. I could get the playroom/bedroom/office/garage organized.n5. I could be more consistent with my response to the negative/inappropriate behaviorn my child exhibits.n6. I could read that book/journal/blog I find interesting.n7. I could be more patient with my children.n8. I could set limits for how much time my children spend watching television and playing video games.nnHow about you? What are some of the “I shoulds” that have been hovering over you and your life? Take a few moments to write down all the “shoulds” that come to mind – just jot them down in whatever order you think of them. Your list might include household chores or projects, such as doing the laundry or repairing something that’s broken; personal ideals such as losing weight; activities with your children, etc. Once you have your list, go through and read each one using the phrasing “I could…”. Notice how you respond mentally and physically to thinking about each item on your list as a “could” versus a “should.” When these things arise for you on a daily basis, focus on shifting into the choice mode of “I could” instead of the pressure mode of “I should.” Let’s make the coming year a year of “coulds!”n