The New Year’s resolutions of a parent

I’ve gotten to the age where my New Year’s resolutions are the same every year. Each January, I dust off last year’s list, which was recycled from the previous year, and make a fifth or sixth attempt at the usual suspects: quitting bad habits, starting good habits and cutting down on moderately poor habits.

 

Yes, it’s a bit dull but I’m not prepared to take drastic measures like resolve to sky-dive or swim with the sharks. So, no inclusion of near-death encounters, instead I went for providing my offspring with New Year’s resolutions of their very own.

 

They get just one each; more would be a fool’s errand.

 

So for the two year old I propose an immediate cessation in nappy wearing.

 

Thus far she shows little sign of being overly concerned with the financial and environmental issues surrounding continued nappy use, but, being currently obsessed with the notion of being a ‘big girl’ perhaps she will come round to the maturity aspect of switching to the potty.

 

For the twelve year old I propose conscious uncoupling— thanks for the phrase Gwyneth—from all screen related activities. (Can watching re-runs of How I Met Your Mother be termed an activity, when the only exertion required is keeping your eyes open? I’m doubtful.)

 

My children’s resolutions will require effort (mine), tears of frustration (mine) and leading by example. Leading by example with toilet training shouldn’t be difficult, I mastered that years ago. Reducing screen time, coincidentally or not, is one of my very own regurgitated resolutions.

 

Cutting down on mindless internet and channel surfing has been appearing and reappearing on that crumpled January list of self-improvements for eons.

 

Here’s hoping that this time next year I cross it off that piece of paper and add something different in its place. But maybe not the sharks. Or the sky-diving. Not yet.

 

Daisy Wilson is a freelance writer who lives and works in West Cork. Mum to an almost-teenager and a toddler who is striding through the terrible twos with a glint in her eye, life is noisy, fun and covered in fingerprint marks.

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