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Turning over a new leaf with the new year – don’t we all love it! Looking back at the twelve months as a parent, you know your low points from being a lazy bug to being harsh to your children to going vegan to spending less time on gadgets at family dinners. How far did you manage to get there last year? Resolutions are meant to be broken just like promises. Or are they not? We bet they are pretty doable but just need some determination. Here are a few common resolutions that mothers make and break almost every year.
1. Losing weight
Yes, that’s the number one resolution to make at the turn of the year only to give up too soon. Moreover, this New Year resolution is made in winters when all you want to do is snuggle as much as possible. Forget going for a run. Think about hitting the gym that has thermal conditioning. Or maybe don’t put pressure on yourself by thinking of exercising. Instead, make your physical activities more fun. Think about playing with your kids. Go on bike rides, play scavenger hunt or go hiking on a sunny noon. When indoors you might still manage to play obstacle games or have silly dance contests. Physical activity just gets more fun, and you begin to lose weight without having to work much towards it.
2. Getting more homely
If you have been a working mom, this is something you will want to do – paying more attention to your children. If you are a savvy home-maker too, this is something you will set your mind on. Getting things organized at home is something we decide almost each day but give up in the backdrop of other ongoing activities (read ‘messing up’). Just how much time does it take to remove that clutter so your child can have more space to play? We know, no sooner do you do that than your little one lays the clutter again. Think the benefit of exercise you get in doing so repeatedly. Plus, there is always a heap of laundry to do and pull back from the clothesline. All the hard work doing domestic chores results in more satisfaction at a personal level.
3. Learn a new language
You want to speak a new language, so you sound posh! Why not! If only you stuck around a bit longer to the French classes that you were taking but gave up last year…err…but you still have the new year approaching to get more determined around it. So yes, begin to use more French at home. What’s more, you will be giving your children the benefit of getting bilingual or multilingual. But first, you must begin to practice it.
4. Managing time
It might be easier to lecture a management class about managing your personal time and space. But when it’s time for you to implement what you tutor, it can only get exasperating to follow what you preach. But it could still be on the top of your resolutions for the new year. Only half-way down the weeks, you would know if you can stick to the routine you chalked out on the New Year eve.
5. Exercising more patience
As moms, we have the entire household revolving around us. Naturally, we feel more pressure than our husbands. Just another miff that your child (and more likely children of your neighbor) brings up is enough to fuel your anger. There will be a test of culinary skills with your children demanding something new every day. Not to forget the new addition to their treasure-trove of toys they already have. What’s worse, you bribe them most of the time to bring some discipline. You work harder than your children when it comes to their homework. You become the sole housekeeper to point at when one of his socks goes missing. Patience at the end of all this? You have lashed out ridiculous lamentations already. Make it a resolution to zip your mouth, only to realize if it works by the first quarter of the year.
Do you think you will find success on keeping them the coming year?
