My first kid went back to school today, the other two are in tomorrow. Which reminds me – tomorrow is my new year’s day for mums. Ignore the 1st January. It never works out for a mother. We try to be ‘brand new’ but there’s no kidding ourselves: it’s hard to turn over a new leaf when you’re weighed down by kids and summer and all the doing.
When the kids go back to school after the long summer break, it’s like a fresh start. It’s new year’s day for mums. We get to make the plans, think the thoughts, and turn over that darn page that was genuinely stuck earlier in the year.
Your new year’s day for mums might be tomorrow. Or you might already be a couple of days into the new year. Or maybe you’re still planning and it happens next week. Whenever it happens, it’s coming. So embrace it!
Things I like to do on new year’s day for mums
Okay, so usually I’ve got to actually work on the kids’ first day back – you would think that they would adjust the new year’s public holiday to actually be useful. I do still try to fit some new year’s preps into my day, though.
1. Declutter
It’s always good to start a new year with clean horizontal surfaces. This year has been a big year in the decluttering industry (which incidentally, is worth millions). The Tiny Folder has us all KonMaring the cobwebs and becoming a brand new person as we go. Which means the annual mum’s new year declutter is well and truly underway. Now, just need to figure out where all those straining garbage bags are going to go…
2. Clean
It’s fair to say that over the summer, cleaning has not been a high priority. I mean, what’s the point when the kids are home? The minute they are back at school, I like to do a complete house blitz. It usually takes the better part of the school day, so after exhausting myself I sit with a cuppa and enjoy 16 minutes of a beautifully clean home. Then the kids are back.
3. Organise
All summer I mean to get around to 47 things around the house. It never happens. Instead, I get lulled into a satisfying coma by the cricket commentators and all bets are off. I actually only ever have the cricket on for this effect. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually like cricket. At all. However a childhood spent with a Dad who loves it means that a background of cricket chatter is my summer happy place.
I digress. I’m meant to be telling you that new year’s day for mums is all about me printing out the school calendar, ducking out to buy the stationery (“You’ll only need a pen on day one!!”), and writing out my first, crisp To Do list for the year.
Try this: A quick guide to organising family life, once and for all
4. Plan
On my To Do list (and hopefully my Ta Da list) are all the little scraggly bits that we let go in the holidays to spend time with our kids. All the niggles that need to be unniggled for a good year ahead. Going on my list this year are things like: buy new thongs; fix sofa; get new door mats; train out-of-control puppy. 5. Dreaming
So, what exactly do I want to accomplish this year? I like to write down a bucket list for the year. This year my ‘word’ is ‘Habits‘, so I try to make the list fit in with bringing my word to life. On it I put ambitious plans like “do 30mins MINIMUM of yoga each morning” and “NO chocolate except on SUNDAYS” and “walk EVERYWHERE unless it’s more than 56 kilometres away”. This is why I have no business setting new year’s resolutions and should really just stick to the word. Habitss – hopefully I’ll be changing quite a few this year.
PS – This is my go to: 12 Sunday habits for a much smoother week, and one for the kids: A complete guide for developing good habits for kids
6. Breathe
I know there are mums out there who LOVE the long summer holidays and weep when the kids go back to school. I am not one of them. Year after year I am reminded that introverts like me can often find parenting very claustrophobic. So, I think about doing all of the above, then call a friend and go for a chai latte. Call it a sane moment of self-care. There will be no decluttering, cleaning and organising for me today. It’s new year’s day for mums! Time to breathe out.
Do you think the year starts with the school term too?
Feature image by Alexandra Kirr; orange by Hean Prinsloo
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[…] Year’s Day! I read an online article recently suggesting that back to school day is the real New Year’s Day for mums. Even though I no longer have school-age children, that totally works for me. […]