Anyone else burned out over the usual suggestions for New Year’s mom resolutions? Every year it seems we all aim for the same things… finally lose that baby weight, purge/simplify, be more “present,” stop judging others, and the list goes on! I don’t need a new year to tell me I need to work on those. Those are all part of our never-ending list of #momgoals. This year, I have a few new ideas.
- Dance more. Who doesn’t love dancing?! My kids love dancing, and we don’t do it enough. I even aim to dance in the car more, because if someone catches me – who cares! It will brighten the accidental spectator’s day too. Turn up the music, get sweaty, and move. This is a resolution I hope to keep long into my kids’ teenage years so I can embarrass them while their friends are over.
- Ask more questions. This is perhaps as close as I will get to the resolution of being “more present.” When we ask questions, we are more likely to listen to the full answer. My kids are hilarious, and when given the opportunity to explain something to me, what they come up with always makes me smile. I plan to ask them more questions, and I want to write down the answers. I bought a mini-calendar to record the best toddler quotes. The few things I’ve written down over the years have always made me smile when I come across them later.
- Host crappy dinner parties. I recently read an article titled “5 Rules for Hosting a Crappy Dinner Party.” Since becoming parents, our social lives have taken a hit. So has the state of cleanliness in our house. But we miss hanging out with our friends and family! Hosting a crappy dinner party means you must have people over for dinner, but you are only allowed to make what is already in your house. And, you are not allowed to clean in preparation. To be perfectly honest, I will probably meal plan this into our schedule to make sure I have enough food, and I will take a scrub brush quickly to the main floor bathroom. But after that, bring on the guests! Rather than stress about how much food my son is throwing onto the floor, I’ll be too busy enjoying the added company.
- Date my husband differently. We, as a couple, spend so much time prepping meals, tidying up, discussing kid logistics for the next day, paying bills, editing blog posts, etc. The time we do get to spend together is not quality time. Thus, I plan to schedule in some “us time” even if in small doses. Maybe it’s a lunch date, or appetizers and drinks. Or, maybe it’s a walk, or sitting on the porch swing after the kids are in bed. We need small moments every single week where we can connect, rather than waiting for a true “date night.”
- Take care of me. As a typical mom, I always take the burnt piece of toast. I also started my own full-time business this year, so I’m lucky if I even have time to eat the burnt toast. I haven’t had my hair cut in over a year. I have a gift certificate to the spa that I received 16 months ago and never used. The elastic is giving up on my worn-out sports bras. It’s not just that I need to work out and eat better – I need to take care of me. Because the saying is true: “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
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