8 Secret New Year's Resolutions

After Christmas, instead of asking everyone, "How was your Holiday?", I would like to ask, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

This year, I was looking for a little companionship and fun. And to be honest, I didn't really get either.

I have realized that I need more fun and friends in my life. That is why my New Year's Resolution reflects that. I plan on socializing more in 2010. Or how about just socializing at all?

I think this is somewhat the way others determine their New Year's resolution. Every year many get their hopes up. It's called Holiday Spirit. People try to get "into" the meaning of the holiday. Others look to family and to a lesser extent, friends, to fulfill their Holiday Spirit needs.

I believe our secret New Year's Resolutions reflect, what deep down inside, we realized we were missing after the Holiday.

So we move on to improve things. We figure the new year is the answer for what we missed at the holidays.

The following are 8 well-known New Year's Resolutions and their secret counterparts:

1. The most popular not-so-secret New Year's Resolution's is to lose weight. With similar secret resolutions being: to look younger, wear more fashionable clothes, apply make-up more professionally, and of course, have more good hair days.


2. Probably the next most favored resolution is regarding money. Something along the lines of spend less, and/or make more. The connected secret aim is to get a new car, bigger house and more toys.


3. There's the infamous career advancement, which really means I want the boss to like me.


4. Of course, another attractive intention is to have closer relationships, companionship and understanding. These people secretly want love or just better sex.






5. I've also heard a lot about spirituality. People really want inner peace, change, a fresh start/clean slate, less stress, hope, relief, freedom, or just an easier life.


6. Another leading declaration is to be more organized, which translates to having a clean house or just more time in the day.


7. The people who wish to be smarter, declare themselves to want to go back to school.





8. The resolution to quit smoking is sometimes about health, but most often about control.


In my mind there is nothing wrong with trying to improve your life through a resolution, as long as one is committed and can sustain the momentum all year. My 2009 New Year's Resolution was vague, but I think I (barely) managed to sustain it. It was to put more effort into yournontoxiclife. How'd I do?

There may be more to come on the 2010 New Year's Resolution. I may use yournontoxiclife as an online diary of how well I do with making more friends and having more fun. Stay tuned.

Happy New Year!!!


(photo credits: Abigail Silvester, alancleaver_2000, Qfamily, DorkJr)

5 tips to help your child have a great school year

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It's back to school time! Time for kids to catch the bus, and time for us parents to get back into a routine. Of course, it's also time for us to start worrying.

We will worry about our child's friends, our child's relationship with their teacher, our child's academic progress, and, we will worry about how we will get all that homework done.

Well, to that I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first?

How about we get the bad news over with: the truth is, when one of the above issues is just a little bit off, it can really affect our child's school year. If there are issues with friends, our child can be distracted and unhappy.

If (good forbid) our child's teacher isn't as smitten with our little darling as we are, our child could have a tricky year. If our child is not making adequate academic progress, then we are perhaps in for a multitude of meetings at a big table with school "experts".

And finally, if we, the parents, haven't got good organization and time management skills, then that homework may not get done properly or consistently.

OK, here is the good news: we can do things to put the odds in our child's favor. Below I have put together 5 tips to help your child have a great school year.

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1. Your child's friends
OK. We can't be with our kids 100% of the time. But we can try and supervise whenever possible. If our child is on team sports, we can try to observe his/her interaction with teammates as much as possible. We should volunteer at school as often as possible. This will give us a lot of information about the classroom environment.

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2. The Teacher
OK. I am going to be really blunt here. Don't make the teacher mad. We need to remember and our child needs to understand that the teacher is to be respected. Teachers like respect.

Second, contrary to what they say, teachers do like presents, flowers and gift cards. But, mostly, they like hand drawn pictures and handwritten notes and poems, especially from the kids.

Lastly, and I can't emphasize this enough, teachers like and need help! Offer to help the teacher yourself. Even if us working parents can only offer to cut out laminating at home, teachers really like help.

3. Academics
If there are concerns about our child's academics, we need to collect evidence, uh, I mean facts. Keep any and all work, tests, and projects that cause you concern. We don't want the teacher to think we don't think she's doing her job.

Schedule a meeting with the teacher, around his or her schedule. Be specific about your concerns and listen to the teacher's plan. Give it some time to work before asking for a support team meeting.

4. Homework
This one is really simple but sometimes not easy. Just do it. If it's a battle, talk to the teacher about reducing the amount, having your child come in early, or just letting natural consequences happen.

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5. School Phobia/Anxiety
If this is happening, we need to meet with the teacher and principal as early as possible. Problem solve this issue as a team and come up with a plan. Make sure you are all in agreement or your child will sense discontent.

There you have it. Five tips to help you help your child achieve success in school. I'd love to add to this list. Please comment below and I'll add your tips!