The end of a year is always the perfect time to reflect on the successes, failures, and misgivings of the prior year and to make goals for�the shiny, sparkling promise of a brand new spin around the sun. Now...
The end of a year is always the perfect time to reflect on the successes, failures, and misgivings of the prior year and to make goals for�the shiny, sparkling promise of a brand new spin around the sun. Now that I�m the mother of a precocious nearly-three-year-old, my parenting choices, strengths, and weaknesses have moved to the top of�my year-end self-eval.
In summary?�Strikes and gutters. I�d say that I did pretty well as a mother this year, overall, and maybe even had a few stellar super-mom moments. But there are decidedly a few�areas in which I need to improve.
To make myself feel better, let�s start with love. That I�ve got covered. I love this little kid with all I�ve got and shower him with affection on a continual basis (while I still can and before he starts to get embarrassed). I tell him that I love him a thousand times a day and am always sneaking kisses and cuddles in. He says �I love you,��back to me now, which is just about the most adorable thing I�ve ever�heard�in my life. Okay, it�s absolutely the most adorable thing I�ve ever heard in my life. And when he gives me an impromptu kiss on the forehead, my heart melts into a gooey little puddle inside my chest. (Awww, he loves me, too!)
It�s no secret that I adore him� look at this huge eclair I let him eat.
Moving on to learning and education. I think I�m doing pretty well in this arena, too. His dad�and I have always read Miles as many books as he can handle, so he is an avid bookworm. It�s really showing because he knows all of his letters and would rather sit down and look at a book than watch television. He can also�count to thirteen (new today!) and his teachers at the Reggio daycare/preschool he attends say that he knows more than many of the four-year-olds. Yes, I�m one of those dorky parents now that thinks their child is a genius. But, clearly, he is.
Okay, so I�have love and learning on lock-down. Now let�s talk about something I�m not so great at: discipline�and addressing problem behaviors. I readily admit that I have been entirely too lenient with him and that he kind of owns me. Wrapped around his little finger, I am. He knows exactly what to do to get what he wants: cry. I know, I know. It�s the cardinal sin of parenthood to give your kid what he wants when he cries. Or to pick him up every time he demands it. I�m trying to get better about these two things� but that little face and those big brown eyes�filled with�tears, though! Make it stop! Even when I know that they�re crocodile tears, they get me every time. I can�t handle it. But this is definitely something that I will be working on in the new year: toughening up and not giving in to his whimpers and whines.
Another thing that I need to work on this year: food. Miles is super picky and I�m so terribly uninspired in the kitchen.�I�m not the best cook in the world�I�m not even a mediocre one�and I severely lack culinary intuition. I can�t just throw ingredients together and produce something delicious. If you can, I�m eternally envious of you. I need help here, people. And I need it badly. So, one of my resolutions is to invest time into learning to make delicious healthy food every day that even my picky little eater�can�t resist. Still working on how to make this happen, but it�s on my list. Open to recipes and advice.
Another thing I want�to work on is being more present and mindful. I think I do a pretty good job of this, but I know I can do better. I could put my phone completely away when I�m playing with him, for example. I always do that at first but then we�ll get into the second hour of playing trains and� well, I don�t love trains as much as he does so my thoughts wander to the news�or Instagram or work or basically anything to distract me from the second hour of playing trains. I don�t like that I do this, and I want to stop.�I am admitting to the problem, though,�and so for that I will congratulate myself.
All�in all, my parenting this year was a mixed bag like everything else in my life. He may be an ever-so-slightly malnourished cry baby, but he�s a smart, beloved one who knows his letters!
Happy 2017 to you all � may this be the year that all of your dreams come true.
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