New Years Resolutions

New years resolutions suck. I failed at so many that I stopped making them a very long time ago. I never lost weight, or ate healthier. I never went to graduate school and I certainly haven't paid off my student loans. (Seriously?! Has anyone? If you have, please teach me your ways!) Most resolutions don't come to fruition. 

So here is my proposal to you: Don't make a resolution. Don't let your husband or wife make a resolution. Don't ask you children for a resolution. Instead go to Target, or take that amazon prime subscription out for a spin, and buy a big dry erase board and a box of markers (chalkboard paint and a section of wall would be pretty great too!). Mount the board somewhere you will see it often, ours is waiting to be mounted in our den (We just moved and I am embarrassingly behind in my unpacking goals!). Tell the kids that every time one of their friends does something that they would like to do or every time they see a commercial for a place they'd like to visit to write it down on the board. You can erase activities as you accomplish them and make room for new ideas. Your wall will be a constantly changing list of adventures!! 

There will be days this year when you are bored. You will have Saturdays when you wake up and just want to do...something. Look at your family goal board on those days. Last year my kids wrote everything from movies they'd like to see to massive vacations they'd like to take. My youngest wrote that she wanted to learn to ride her bike without the training wheels. Such a simple request that doesn't take any money- just a little time. One of my husband's goals was to visit the World of Coke in Atlanta, GA. 

It took us about a year to plan the trip but we spent 4 days exploring that city all because he wanted to see how Coca Cola was made! That expedition saw my children explore the top of their first "mountain" (Stone Mountain) and see a whale shark, a manta ray (Georgia Aquarium), and a working news studio (CNN Tour Information) up close. There are so many long weekends off from school or work (like this weekend: Martin Luther King Jr. Day) where you could be out exploring our world and yet you are sitting at home watching television. Not that there is anything wrong with a well planned out day of binge watching Fuller House with your kids (we did it! There were snacks involved!!) but save those days for that dismal Saturday in mid February when you are under a blizzard advisory or that miserable day in mid July when a hurricane off the coast has shut down half the state!

There will be times that you check one thing off of your list only to discover that while accomplishing the main goal, you accomplished five more things you didn't know you always wanted to do (like making sidewalk chalk art with Chip and Dale, in your pajamas at Disney World)!! My point is, there are things that every family wants to experience. Make a list and work your way through it. Most importantly- enjoy the adventure!