The thing I love about New Year's Day is the opportunity - the justification - the compulsion to make some dramatic life changes. I'm a complete Type-A personality. Therefore, I crave order and lists and structure. I can't just randomly decide to make major life changes willy-nilly, say . . . on a Thursday, in the middle of April. There has to be a set time to begin, a "marker" for the momentous event. Or else it's doomed to failure from the get-go.
That's just how my mind works. And in my mind, there is no better time, no greater "marker" for change than the first day of a new year. So I put a great deal of thought and planning into my New Years resolutions, because I won't have such an optimal time to make a personal life change for another year.
Which is all just a long-winded lead-up to this year's resolution. Yes, just one. Usually, I make a different resolution for pretty much every phase of my life (physical, spiritual, intellectual . . .). But this year, I've decided to focus on one and only one change which I would like to make.
I've decided that this year, I want to become a more active parent. I used to be an active parent - the kind of mom who actually plays with her kids, takes them to the park and runs around with them (rather than just sitting on a park bench reading a book and ordering the older kids to supervise the younger ones), reads them lots of books, plays games with them, etc.
But over the past few years, I've noticed myself drifting into a passive parenting role. I feed them, make sure they are safe and clothed and driven to their various destinations; I give them hugs in the morning and kisses before bed. But it is a fairly rare occassion that finds me actively playing with them. And that's what I want to get back into.
So this year I resolve to be an Active Parent. (Maybe I should have waited a year before giving up caffeine and sugar. I may need the energy.)
5 comments:
That's a great resolution. And now that I know you better, I fully believe you will accomplish it. I've been so impressed with your dedication to your no sugar/no caffeine resolutions.
Wait...hold the phone. No sugar AND no caffeine? When have I missed this one? Or maybe I was so traumatized after reading that, that I blocked it out. I can understand the no caffeine thing, but the sugar thing? Ya freak! :)
Anyways...I am going to need to go to therapy to deal with you going off of sugar. What about our fry fest? Wow.. totally traumatized.
As for New Years Resolutions. I hate them. About 8-10 years ago I decided my New Years REsolutions was going to be to never make New Years Resolutions again. It has worked beautifully. No more "resoluting" to lose weight...yadda yadda. I find myself pleased with this Resolution. It works. No more thinking about it, no more guilt from never accomplishing my resolutions. I am perfectly content in my lack of Resolutions. Wait, I have actually accomplished 10 years of resolutions, but holding true to my no resolutions. Oh my. It is so hard to deal with my own awesomeness sometimes. :)
What a great resolution!
I think that I'd follow you with that one if I didn't spend so much time with my kids. I honestly want to sit in the chair and have them play by themselves. I haven't given up sugar, and I really need to make you some cookies and sit at a park with you, while our kids watch themselves. You know I can get you to give up the resolutions, lets go back to just exercising more:) Actually I think you're great and an example to me. I'm trying the exercising thing and while running with the boys #1 pointed out that if I layer the clothing I could sweat off weight. See why I'd like them to watch themselves?
I resolve... I resolve... I resolve to gather my wits enough to make resolutions. I'll get back to you in March or April with mine (sigh)....
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