While traveling last weekend, my husband and I were reflecting over 2012. We both noticed that from summer to the end of the year our family entered “blah” mode. Besides our daughter’s dance class and a couple of months of t-ball, we didn’t really have anything scheduled. We didn’t do much on the weekends. We all just came home and kind of vegged. There was too much time spent watching TV and playing on iPads/iPhones, and not enough time connecting.
So rather than make a lot of resolutions, my main resolution, my “one little word” for 2013 is to be PRESENT. Present for my family as well as present for myself. Do more activities as a family. Play more as a family. Work out and eat right so that I feel like myself. Only spend money we have, not charge up what we don’t.
Now, don’t get me wrong…don’t mistake present with busy. I don’t want to just go out and be busy for the sake of being busy. (A great article was shared via Twitter the other day: The ‘Busy’ Trap from The New York Times.). I want to be deliberate in the activities that my family does so that we can have shared life experiences and memories. I want to present in my children’s life while they are still children, and not let the time flit by like it did in the end of 2012. This morning someone shared an article that was so timely, I feel that I could have written it myself: New Year’s Resolutions Your Kids Wish You’d Make (and Keep) from Huffington Post. If you choose to be present, these resolutions will take care of themselves.
I truly feel that by being present our family will have one of the best years we’ve ever had. I followed the blog 52 Brand New this past year where a mom did 52 new activities with her kids/family over the course of the year, 1 new activity each week. This has been a great inspiration for finding some great activities and explorations to take on as a family.
So cheers to a great 2013. I can’t wait to be present in the new year…I hope you are, too.
fountainreflections 