10 New Year’s resolutions all parents make, and then break
Happy New Year! To celebrate a new year (and a new you), let’s count down the resolutions that all parents have most likely made and will never ever keep. Because isn’t that what New Year is all about?
Drink less alcohol, drink more green slush
Forget Octsober and Dry July. January will be an alcohol free month. Swap the red and white wine for the green smoothies with plenty of kale, spinach and spirulina. Or green mojitos. At least they’re green.
Exercise more
And by exercise more, we mean, join a gym at the start of the year, go three times, get angry at how busy it is and never go again.
Eat better
This will be the year of no more takeaway, of weekly meal planning, of once a week meal cooking and of plenty fresh greens and whole grains.
Until the kids remind us that they despise anything that isn’t chips, nuggets or smothered in tomato sauce.
Be more patient with the kids
This year we will discover a positive method of discipline where there is minimal yelling. We will use our words to communicate our frustrations and we will always be tolerant towards the kids.
No, just kidding. We will probably just spend a lot more time hidden in the pantry with a box of chocolates.
Learn a new skill
Always wanted to learn how to play guitar or join an indoor soccer league? This is the year to do it. Well… at least this is the year to consider doing it. And that’s almost the same thing.
Declutter
Straight after Christmas is the perfect time to go through the house and donate any unwanted toys, clothes, brick-a-brac, etcetera. That way everything is fresh and clean before the start of school and remains that way for exactly three-and-a-half hours.
Spend more quality time with your partner
Which entails finding time every week to enjoy one another’s company, to watch a movie together and fall asleep on the lounge within fifteen minutes of doing so.
Lose weight
And not just when we get gastro from the kids.
Save money
This year I will get my finances in order. I will start an emergency fund and have different accounts for the bills, the mortgage payment and the holiday fund. And I will limit the number of pairs of shoes I buy to one a season.
Pfft.
Enjoy more “me-time”
Last year my plan was to read 12 books (no, The Cat in the Hat, read 12 times a night doesn’t count). Because I do love reading. My grand total – 1/2 a book (and my kids scribbled on almost every single page). It took me three months to even get that far before throwing the thing in the bin and giving up on ‘me-time’ all together.
This year, I am going to aim for one book.
And, finally stress less
Because this promises to be a stress-free year, right?
I guess we will just have to wait and see. How many of these New Year’s resolutions have you made? And how many have you already crossed off the list?
