Making New Year resolutions is a fun tradition some people take part in every year, when they make a promise or personal vow to improve themselves or do a good deed for the following year onwards.
But if you’ve made New Year resolutions before, you’ll know that they are a lot harder to stick to and many people end up completely forgetting about it once the New Year begins, or they just give up on this quest for self-improvement altogether.
As a parent, it’s already tough enough as it is to function on a day to day basis and you probably feel that it’s already a big accomplishment that you’ve managed not to turn to a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol to keep sane from the challenges you face in parenthood – let alone diligently follow through with your New Year resolutions.
So what exactly are the New Year resolutions all parents make and break? Check out our list below and feel free to print it out to stick up on you fridge as a reminder!
1. Lose weight
Some dads struggle with baby weight (otherwise known as “dadbod“) as much as mums do, and it’s hard to keep the daily limit of calories in check because you seem to always end up eating your child’s leftovers or snacking whenever he does.
It’s a wonder how much the weight has crept up considering how little time you have to actually eat something in peace during mealtimes, but that muffin top, those batwings and thunder thighs tell you otherwise.
Nevermind, just avoid looking in the mirror and invest in some good Spanx.
2. Less screen time for the whole family
It’s hard to completely stay away from handheld mobile devices in this day and age, so don’t beat yourself up over it.
Besides, experts now say that it’s actually ok for your kids to watch cartoons online or play educational games on your iPad, as long as they are monitored and have time limits set.
If letting junior watch his favourite show on a mobile device helps stop him from having a meltdown at the supermarket while you’re trying to get some shopping done, then so be it!
3. Stop feeding your kids junk food
Braving the jam-packed mrt train during rush hour after a long hard day at work is enough to make you lose the motivation and energy to cook a meal from scratch for the whole family once you reach home, so instead you find it easier to bring back some fast food for dinner.
If you really can’t help but swing by the fast food joint near your house out of sheer convenience, you can actually opt for the healthier items on the menu (such as the salad) which not only tastes good but is also good for you.
Or you can be lazy and everyone will just have cereal for dinner.
4. Quit your job
Every morning when you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock for at least three times before dragging yourself out of bed, you grumble to yourself and swear you work too hard and want to just hand in your resignation.
But it’s just a recurring thought and will probably remain as that because your logical side is reminding you that as the sole breadwinner, it is your responsibilty to provide for your family so they have enough food to eat, a decent roof over their heads and clean clothes on their backs.
There goes your dream of leaving the corporate world to become a rockstar.
5. Exercise more
If you want your kids to be more active, play sports or go out to get some fresh air and sunshine, you have to lead by example and adopt a healthy lifestyle yourself.
Exercising with your children is a fantastic way to spend time together and for great time for bonding too.
Or hopefully the amount of walking you do while window-shopping through a mall can possibly count as some form of exercise too.
What other New Year resolutions are parents guilty of breaking year after year? Go to the next page to find out!
6. Organise all your photos
New Year resolutions
Do you have around 1029 photos saved on your phone and you’re now running out of storage space?
You keep telling yourself that you’re going to transfer it all into your computer or laptop or thumbdrive, or maybe even print them all out to be arranged neatly in a pretty photo album – but that day has yet to come.
Then if you eventually do run out of storage space, you will probably just get a new phone!
7. Go on a romantic date
New Year resolutions
Ever since your little ones came along, it’s been harder to find a way for mummy and daddy to have some private alone time.
Finding the time to spend together, such as reconnecting on a nice date, is the key to making a marriage work – so go on, call a babysitter to watch over the kids for the night while you go out for a nice meal with your partner.
Your idea of a romantic time now is probably hiding in the kitchen with your spouse and secretly eating some ice cream together straight out of the tub.
8. Save up more money
New Year resolutions
A lot of people feel that having kids is very expensive, and you know it’s good to have more savings in your bank in case of a rainy day, but as soon as you have a bit of dough you want to set aside, you seem to have quite a few “drizzly days” instead.
Junior excitedly announces that his school is organising an exciting trip overseas and he really would love to go; or you carelessly misplace your phone (containing 1029 photos which you had yet to transfer onto your computer for safe-keeping) so you need to buy a new one; or your car starts acting up and has to be sent to the repair-shop.
Guess that fantasy to travel around the world will have to wait.
9. Get more sleep
New Year resolutions
You say that you want to catch up on some sleep each time your little one is down for his nap, but instead you’ll grab this opportunity to quickly get a few chores done or eat a quick snack in peace.
Once your kids are tucked in for the night, you swear you want to get an early night’s rest too, but you just end up laying in the dark, scrolling through your phone, looking at funny memes, checking out social media sites, or going through articles online until it’s 2am in the morning.
That’s your idea of reading a bedtime story for parents.
10. Put yourself first
New Year resolutions
You give so much to your kids that sometimes you’re left feeling so physically, emotionally and financially drained – so where’s the personal time for yourself?
This is the sacrifice that all parents make, no matter how much you want to be selfish for once and just get some much needed “me time”, you can’t help but think of your kids first and will put their needs before your own.
But that’s actually not a bad thing because it shows just how much you love your children and what a great parent you are!