the real new years resolutions!

Last week the kids started back to school!  A brand new school year!  Lots of possibilities.  Lots of hopes.  Lots of excitement.  It got me thinking about the parallels of New Years Eve and School Years Eve.  New Years resolutions and School Years resolutions.  If you have read my earlier winter blogs, you know that I am ANTI new years resolutions in January.  It’s cold.  I’m tired.  My house is a disaster from the holidays.  The ground is frozen.  The flowers are gone.  And you are telling me THAT is when I’m supposed to plan my new year???  Uh… no thank you.

Now fast forward 8 months to August.  The new school year is fast approaching.  We are anticipating the beginning of new friendships, new classes, structure to return to our lives.  This is when I think the real resolution making time hits.   So I say forget January 1st!  The real time for “New” year resolutions is day one of the new school year!  Yes, you read that right!  Let’s all make our School Year Resolutions!   Now, granted, this blog may be written more for the MaMa’s out there… but come the first day, week, month of school, this is when we MaMa’s find new energy that has been laying dormant all summer long.

How many of you spend the first few days reorganizing, cleaning, planning?  I just hung up like, a zillion pieces of clothes that have been in the ever so popular “waiting” position. I’ve already been to the gym 4 times, I have a pantry full of food ready for lunches.  And this is just week one of the New School Year.

So let’s compare New Years Eve with School Years Eve:

• On New Years Eve, we stay up very late and spend the first day of the “new” year exhausted (and for some… hungover).

• On School Years Eve, everyone gets to bed early after a good dinner and wake up refreshed and ready to go!

• On New Years day we want to play with our new toys, games and holiday goodies.

• On School Years Day, we want to wear our brand new clothes.  New shoes.  New lunchbox.

• On New Years day we are cold, tired, and want to sleep in.

• On School Years Day we are warm and ready and up early with a big breakfast.

This is the time when many of us find new energy to finally get some of our to-do list transferred to the to-done list!  This is when I hear about the plans on working out.  Plans for taking up a new hobby.  Plans to get the kitchen organized.  Plans to meet with friends for lunch.  Plans to start attending a bible study.

Our School Years Resolutions are fast and furious.  We are in that wonderful place between summer vacation and Christmas vacation.  We are looking forward to opening the windows again.  To watching the leaves turn.  To wearing a light sweater at night.  We are getting the kids schedules set up with new sports activities, youth group schedules, and homework patterns.  Everyone is excited to start up the new school years activities.  Meet new friends.  Learn new skills.

This is the true season for resolution making!  Not frozen, dead, iced over ground.  So I ask YOU, what are your School Year Resolutions?  What would you like to accomplish?  Is there a hobby that has been on hold that you are ready to pick up?  Is this the season where you’ll get back to the gym?  Meet a friend for a walk?  What can you do to grow and learn?  Your kids are busy learning and growing with their school year.  How about You? Leave a comment with your School Years Resolutions!

I wish you all a very merry School Years Eve, Day, and Month!  Let’s  make this our starting point.  Let’s believe we CAN and we WILL!