From Zooper Dooper wrapper management to battling pint-sized food critics, I’ve got it ALL IN THE BAG with my family New Year’s resolutions for 2020.
You know the drill. Many of us make those pie-in-the-sky style New Year’s resolutions we solidly keep for the first week of January before the wheels come off. So for 2020, I’m taking a different approach. New year, new family rules resolutions.
Here’s my list of family New Year’s resolutions for 2020. How many ring true for your family too?
New Year resolutions for my family (and probably yours too):
1. Just eat it
Eat your dinner and refrain from the post-dinner feedback, especially if it’s an unfavourable review. No longer do I want to hear “I don’t really like that…” or “I’d much prefer…“. Your names aren’t Matt, Gary or George. This is not Masterchef and there is no quarter of a million-dollar prize for me for delivering out-of-this-world meals all week. Please guys, just eat your dinner.
2. Let’s have some fun
I know last time I said this it ended up with us all losing our shiz over the Monopoly board, but I’m willing to give it another crack. Anyone for a game of UNO? Let’s make the effort to DO something together as a family and be tolerant if it’s not quite your thing. (That is, don’t be whining about how you hate beach sand on a beach day. Okay? Thanks.)
3. Find your own stuff
It’s every man, woman or child for themselves. It’s YOUR stuff. Be responsible for it. FIND IT YOURSELF.
4. Say thank you and mean it
Manners are one of the first things I taught my children. And they rattle off a please and thanks at the roll of the tongue. But a new year resolution I want us all to make this year it to be more appreciative and show it. It’s not all cards and thank you notes. Singling someone out to say “thanks and I appreciate all that you do” goes a long way. And you know I don’t have to be all ‘extra’ when making your lunch box, so lay the thanks on nice and thick.
5. We will all vacuum if it needs doing
Just to be clear, the vacuum cleaner is allowed to be used by more than one person. If someone steps on a Jatz cracker and it crushes into a fine crumbly dust, don’t sneakily push it with your foot to the skirting board. I see you doing that. Each family member should make it their New Year’s resolution to USE THE VACUUM.
6. Back to the table
We used to eat at the table for years, mostly because it was convenient to clean up after toddlers upturned their plates. Then toddlers became teenagers. Plus commitments that fell around dinner time meant dinner became more of a “grab what you can, when you can’ event. NO MORE. In 2020, we’re (at risk of sounding lame) ‘reconnecting’ by eating at the kitchen table. So saddle up – and no tipping plates over to get out of it.
7. Put your Zooper Dooper wrappers and fruit stickers in the bin
Because nothing annoys me more than seeing these suckers shoved between couch cushions or stuck on furniture. And the little plastic bit you cut from the top and leave in the sink next to sticky scissors? It’s more annoying than endearing.
8. Homework woes
One of our family New Year resolutions is that we’re not going to make homework a ‘thing’ any more. I’m going to stop nagging about it, the kids are just going to do it, no one is going to leave anything until the last minute and it’s going to be an amazing stress-free life we all lead because of it. RIGHT?
9. Less screen time
Eeep. I know screen time is a time sucker and often a babysitter, guilty as charged. But I’m going to aim for less of it in 2020. I want to see your faces, not the back of your device or your forehead. So let’s make an effort to disconnect the tech to reconnect the fam-bam.
10. We’re ALL going to get more sleep
Aaaah sweet blissful sleep. I won’t wake you up if you don’t wake me up okay? And for the early-risers of the family, don’t be afraid to TRY having a lie-in and if you can’t, 5:30 am isn’t the time to be watching YouTube unboxing videos at maximum volume. Just sayin’. #pleaseletmesleep
From my family to yours, happy 2020! May your family New Year’s resolutions be easily achievable long past January!
