“A happy life is made of a million little happy moments stitched together with great purpose.” – Rebecca Eanes, The Gift of a Happy Mother

We talk about living and parenting with intention, but then life gets busy. There are so many goals we want to achieve, values we hope to instill, and lessons we need to teach, but it’s challenging to be purposeful when we’re barely keeping our heads above water. Here are some tips for setting your goals and making them happen.

Make Space

The first step to parenting with purpose is to create the space and time in your daily life to purposefully parent. I realize that sounds like a no-brainer, but the truth is that many days are filled to brim with work, school, chores, dinner, homework, housework, and the list goes on. We may be in our child’s presence quite a lot and not actually be present because of our busyness (or theirs). It’s easy to operate on autopilot just to get through the to-do lists and keep everything running smoothly, but doing so puts the relationship at risk and undermines our best intentions at being present and purposeful with our kids. 

Maybe it’s time to empty the calendar. Perhaps a few commitments need to go so that you can live slower and more fully with your family. In the end, we simply have to make space for what matters most in our lives. 

Prioritize Connection

Imagine rearranging your schedule and setting aside a special block of time to spend with your child only to be met with a disconnected child! Without a healthy, connected relationship, your intentions won’t matter as much because your child won’t be open to spending quality time with you or adopting your values. Connection is the key to spending quality, enjoyable, purposeful time with your child. Here are 10 ways to connect. 

Write Out a Mission Statement

Writing out a family mission statement is a great way to name your goals, your values, and your intentions. The whole family is included in the process, and this encourages unity, serves as a teaching tool, and builds solidarity. I discuss in detail how to create your family mission statement in this post. Your mission statement holds you accountable and gives you a clear path forward toward achieving your purpose.