If, like me, you are so tied to the school year that September feels more like a new beginning than January, you may be feeling like now is the time to get into those good school/parent/life habits. Here is the list of (some of) my good intentions:
- I will be on time every day for drop-off and pick-up. I will not greet other parents as they are leaving, but as we arrive together.
- I will approach mornings in a positive and proactive manner, encouraging my children to get out of bed through enthusiasm and fun. Threats and shouting from downstairs will be a thing of the past.
- I will stay calm in the face of missing shoes, PE kit, pencil cases, water bottles, swimming costumes etc, while still teaching my children responsibility of ownership. Shouting and threats will be a thing of the past.
- I will keep track of where I put my mobile and handbag.
- I will practise my times tables and read up on maths so I can stay one step ahead of my primary-aged children.
- I will stop feeling pride when the beds have clean sheets. I will change the sheets once a week, not just when I feel the laundry basket can take it.
- I will manage my time when the children are at school so that I get a sense of achievement. Completing a Facebook survey of which Jane Austen character I would be will not count.
- I will be relaxed and understanding when my children bring up existential crises or traumatic emotional events from their school day after bedtime, rather than when I asked them how their school day was at dinner time.
- I will ensure I never again hear the words "The tooth fairy didn't come!"
- I will work on memory exercises every day. I will not forget to do them.
- I will get on to tidying those piles of papers, party-bag-toys and half-finished craft projects that are lurking in the corners.
- I will manage evenings calmly and in an organised manner, finding a way to help with homework, prepare dinner and give a bath seamlessly and without fuss.
- I will be ruthless with rubbish and keep future childhood mementos. I will learn to differentiate between the two.
- I will not fish things out of the bin anymore.
- I will finally get on with completing the Baby's First Year photo album, if only I can track it down.
- I will not have my head in my iPhone when my children are asking for my attention. Instead, I will have my head in a book to demonstrate the joy of reading.
- I will read more.
- I will not take my iPhone to the toilet with me for zone-out time.
- I will give my full attention when my children are talking to me, not just "mmm" and "really?" in the appropriate places, even if it is a blow-by-blow account of a Ninjago episode.
- I will not have unrealistic expectations of myself.
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Isabelle writes for Twiniversity and her blog perplexedparent.com
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