Just Enough and Nothing More

Now that 2008 is over, I’m looking back at last year, and thinking about the mistakes that I made and want to avoid this year. Kind of a post-game wrap-up.

2008 was a good year for us. We had a lot of fun, learned a lot of things, and kept healthy relationships. Even so, we are not perfect.

I made mistakes, and hopefully this year I’ll make different ones.

Mistake #1: Having too much on our plate. There were some months there where we had so much going on, I started forgetting appointments and losing things. I like being busy, but there gets a point where it’s just too much. This year, I plan not to make the mistake of doing too much, while avoiding being a sloth.

Mistake #2: Not getting enough outside playtime. I am a home body. I love the outdoors, but I love the indoors more. I try to get us out for a walk or to the park everyday, but I wasn’t as diligent in 2008 as I have been in previous years. The kids are getting older, and it’s not as simple as sticking them in the stroller and going somewhere. They have opinions now! And there are 3 of them! Sometimes I get stuck in what’s comfortable. We got a dog a few months ago, and I’m going to make it a point to get the kids out with him everyday. The sun is good.

Mistake #3: I’m no longer reading out loud to the kids. This simply slipped off our nightly routine. We did read a book here and there (notably, the Wizard of Oz). I’d like to make this a consistant part of getting ready for bed, again. There are so many benefits to reading out loud. And it’s fun! It’s a small detail, but it’s worth it.

Mistake #4: Overanalyzing. Sometimes, we just gotta enjoy things and not worry so much about whether they are “good” or “bad”. Like eating ice cream, running in the mud, and writing messily. This was a mistake that I started rectifying a few months ago. I’m still working on it. I like analyzing things! That’s why I am a writer and speaker. It’s fun for me. I mean, that’s why I wrote this post! But, I must remember, it’s not always fun for the person or thing being analyzed…and it can become obsessive. Balance is the key. I am learning to use my superpower in a healthy way.

Overall, though, 2008 was an awesome year for us. We did a LOT of things right. (That’s for the next post.) I’m looking for another great year in 2009.

Related posts:

1. 5 Homeschool Must-haves for 2008
2. What We Did Right in 2008
3. Pulling a Child Out of School to Homeschool
4. NaNoWriMo 2008 Winner
5. The Best of Just Enough - 2008