Resolutions are great, but goals are better. Checklists are also great, but there can be a problem when the checklist become your life. I have found that using a daily to-do list greatly increases productivity, and yet, I do not want that to become the center of my life. I especially do not want my children just to become something else to put on my checklist.
Pay the bills, check.
Mop the floor, check.
Feed the chickens, check.
Play with the kids, check.
Even though a New Year often means new goals, new plans, and new beginnings, it is also a time to reflect on what it is that matters in life. Those of us who are raising young people, need to reflect on how efficiently we are doing this. It is just like any other job. Give yourself a mini-job evaluation. The children are fed, dressed, and clean. They are learning. They are developing social relationships. They are playing sports or finding other passions in life. But are they feeling loved, cared for, and important to you and by you?
Daily planners are amazing, but the planner that works is the one that sometimes needs to be set aside. Write what needs to be done, and if someone little asks you to a tea party decide which one is more important at that moment. I have found that cuddling in a blanket, and reading a story will mean more over time than a perfectly clean house. Balance is my mantra in life. There are things that do need to be done, but there are also things that have to be done. Doing both is difficult, but it can be everything that will truly matter in the end.