The Back-To-School List

It's the beginning of a new school year.   

This is the time of year that we get to start over.  So listen up kids... Did you struggle with math last year? Well this year, you can show 'em your stuff and rock the times tables.  Sally and Johnny* giving you a hard time last spring? So what, who cares? It's a new year and the summer only made you better, smarter, taller and more wonderful-er.

*Sally and Johnny are made up people with super old-school names to represent all kids with nice names who might be going through something at home and taking it out on my kid or your kid.

That goes for moms and dads too.  Did you have an uncomfortable conversation/confrontation with Sally and Johnny's mom at the car loop?  Time to move on, it's a new year and it's all about fresh starts.  So last year you didn't make into the classroom to help out as much, or ever?  No worries, new year, new classroom and 5 million new opportunities to volunteer.  It's a new year and the summer only made you better, smarter, maybe taller and definitely more wonderful-er.

This year I have an exciting opportunity to become a totally new person because the kids switched to a different elementary school.  So yeah, I can be a whole new me, a better me, maybe even a proud PTA member.  

I know, I know, I might be overreaching with my start-over dreams.  Maybe I should slow down a little.  As I type this, I am falling into dangerous patterns. Patterns that are so last year (and every other year).  Like writing this instead of filling out my kids' new school year paperwork that's a week late.  Oh man, this isn't looking good. 

Every September I make Back-To-School Resolutions, or revolutions as Lucy used to call them a couple years ago.  Every fall I want to seize the opportunity to better myself.  I make more resolutions in January. 

Looking back...
My 2011/2012 Back-To-School Resolutions with Updates:

• Finding the perfect morning routine that gets the children to school loaded up with a healthy brain-food breakfast and no anxiety. 
• Actually spending time with the baby, Wade, while the others are at school and finally reading him a book. 
• Learning to love little league/pee-wee football.  If your kid is in it you understand, you have no choice in it taking over your life.  So you better learn to love it.
• Not getting mad at my husband and playing the who works harder and is more tired game every night.  
• Drinking less wine.  I must admit I was going to name this post "How blogging made me an alcoholic" because I am enjoying a glass or two or three with each post.
• Tweeting more.  Yup, that's right I really want to get skilled in...Twitter.  

Back To School Resolutions for 2012/2013:

• Volunteer in my kids' classes more.  I told JT's new teacher she would see me more than when she was Lucy's teacher, which was never. Mwha-ha-ha. More than never, those are good odds.

• Get more creative with my kids' school lunches.  Even at home, I lack creativity.  After this summer, my kids will never want another hot dog again for as long as they live.

• Say "hi" more and judge less.  The end.

• Get more sleep. And kick the baby out of the bed, for good.

• Drink less.  Analyze less.  Lose my temper less. Laugh more.  Run more. Relax more.

This was how I spent last Saturday night, learning to play my ukelele.  It was a resolution from last January.  Sometimes I follow through with my resolutions.  Although, I'm very bad and can't play a song yet.

Sometimes it seems like I'm always resoluting, resolving or revolting.  I'm always focused on what I should do differently.  This September I'm revolting against my resoluting.  Oh my god, are you confused with what the hell I'm talking about?  Here's the what...this year instead of things I'm changing, I'm going to make a list of things that I am okay not changing right now. 

• I will never worry about whether my kids' socks match.  I only care when they do and even then we will have a conversation about why it really matters.

• Wade can climb into bed with us a little longer.  He's 3 and if he needs to snuggle in the middle of the night and that means I don't get as much sleep, that is okay.  It will not last forever.

• Drinking is my hobby right now so I'm going to keep doing it.

• Reality TV, I watch it.  PerezHilton, I read it.  I am unashamed.

• I simply cannot return a library book on time, I am sorry but I don't see that changing soon.

• This is not the year I will be PTA president or even a member. But thank you PTA moms for everything you do, being you is amazing and a goal of mine in previous resolution posts.

• I have become the worst morning person (it could have something to do with my latest hobby).  Completely incoherent, but I still try to make the kids a decent breakfast and serve it up with a song, which they loooove.

• Emotional intelligence, it's a thing and I've got a little of it. It isn't an MBA, but I believe it is helping me be a decent mother.

This list was much more difficult to come up with than any list of things I would change about myself.  But it feels sort of good to accept and appreciate myself.  Although I still wish I was taller.  

I challenge you to come up with a list, a list of things you feel okay with right now.  Things you appreciate or find pretty cool about you right now.  It sounds simple, but I bet you sit and sit and think it's a little impossible.  Because we are all very good at finding flaws, duh, that's easy.

For now I am sorry PTA, but I have to go fill out my kids' paperwork while I have a glass of wine and watch Real Housewives of New Jersey.