We are almost a week into 2018, yet I am still editing, finalizing and procrastinating on my New Year’s Resolutions. Many have already juiced and cleansed. Some have worked out for five consecutive days. And few have vowed to never drink wine again (good for you!).
While I am still ironing out the details of some of my personal resolutions e.g. more vegetables in my diet, and save money for a European vacation, (and perhaps procrastinate less!) I am pretty crystal clear on what I want to improve on in 2018 as a mother and hopefully lasting changes as an overall parent. Here are my top 4 Mom-o-lutions:
I am like the paparazzi when it comes to my kids. Whether they’re scoring a soccer goal, eating ice cream, building a sand castle, making a silly face, or simply just breathing, I am constantly taking their photos. Yet, when I looked back in the last years photo reel, there were so few photos of me with my kids. And I wish I had more. Ten years from now, I want to be able to reminisce and share these moments with my children...regardless if I have no make up on or I am in my ragged sweatpants. Often times we care too much about what we look like, but through the lens of our children, they could care less!
It’s easy to get immersed on social media feeds, text message chains, and unread emails. I am often guilty losing precious moments staring at my screen rather than listening to my kids’ banter of legos and sharks. And often times I question, if the roles were reversed, “Would I be annoyed with me?” The answer is an obvious yes. So I am making more of a conscious effort this year to unplug, put my phone down, and listen and play with my kids. It won’t be long before they get lost on their own devices, so it’s better to cherish these moments now as well as set a good example for phone etiquette.
My kids are very fortunate to have Grandparents who spoil them every birthday and Christmas with toys. However, I think it’s important to remind my kids that getting out into the world and experiencing moments are far more memorable than toys and tangible items. So whether we go out on local hikes, ice cream dates or worldly vacations, I want my kids out and about living life. These are the moments that I hope they will remember and cherish. Not that they were given the latest Ninjago lego set.
Despite the fact that my boys are 21 months apart, they are two completely different children. They have their own unique needs and desires and I tend to overlook this and treat them as if they were one person. So in an effort to foster their individual needs, I vowed in 2018 to carve 1:1 time with each of my kids. Whether it is 20 minutes of coloring in a different room in the house, a movie date night, or a coffee/hot chocolate break at Starbucks, I am going to give them their intimate time with Mom.