#2012 Mom-Resolutions

Some years I’m not so into New Year’s resolutions, but for some reason, I’m really feeling the promise of a fresh start in 2012. Mom-guilt is a part of life for most moms, especially working moms, and this is the time of year when it’s easiest to parlay some of that guilt into action items. I can do better next year. Can’t I?

1. I will put down my iPhone.
I’ve already been working on this for a number of months. I was in an Apple store earlier this year, and a sales associate saw me clutching my phone and said, “It’s almost like we’re turning into cyborgs, isn’t it?” I totally freaked out. I don’t want to be a cyborg.

2. I will feed my family healthier foods.
I’ve spent half my life trying to lose weight. I know enough about nutrition to be more than a little ashamed of some of the things that are routinely part of our family diet. And it’s starting to show on the scale (at least for me). We can do better with the lunches we pack, the snacks we eat, and the desserts we bake.

3. I will get home earlier.
Over the past couple of years, my departure time from work has slid from 5 to 6. I’ve found it makes a huge difference in the evening’s quality time. Plus, I might even find time to cook a meal or two and reduce the amount of Chinese take-out in our lives (see #2).

4. I will involve the kids in my exercise regimen.
I already have a pretty fair exercise routine, but it’s almost all at the gym (especially at this time of year). I want to find ways to stay active that can include my kids in the fun (and include them in the benefits). We’ll do more indoor rock climbing, more running around outside, and more XBox Kinect Dance Central battles (don’t see #5).

5. I will limit screen time more aggressively.
My kids are 9, 7, and 3 years old now, and while we used to have strict rules around screen time, those have completely fallen by the wayside. To some extent, that’s probably not unusual. It’s also fun that the older kids love Top Chef just as much as I do, and we can watch it together once a week. And Zev’s favorite movie is Tangled, which I happen to adore even though it always makes me cry. But there’s a difference between quality time together in front of the TV (Dance Central) and mindless-zombie Disney Channel marathons (sorry, Disney!).

And the late-night sneaking of laptop computers to bed needs to stop. I need my rest.

What are your mom-resolutions for the upcoming year?

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