Moms Talk: Are New Year's Resolutions Worth the Effort?

Ahh, it's that time of year. The gifts have been opened (and returned!), the tree has been taken down and the last of the pumpkin pie has been devoured.

As New Year's Day approaches, millions of moms around the country will make resolutions with the best of intentions. But are New Year's resolutions meant to leave one inspired or defeated? After all, it's no secret that moms these days put
extraordinary pressure on themselves. Their houses aren't tidy enough, their
jobs not noble enough, their waistlines not tiny enough and their kids not behaved well enough.

With so much else to worry about (the upcoming presidential election, cloth or disposable diapers, that nosy neighbor mom down the street), should moms put added pressure on themselves by aspiring to be better? Or is "good enough" just, well, good enough?

According to a recent poll on the website Parenting.com, the top three New Year's resolutions for moms include spending less time cleaning and more time with the kids, getting angry less often, and finding time for a date night with the hubby. Among the other resolutions? Putting the kids to bed earlier, cooking healthier meals, saving more money for fun vacations, and worrying less. Refreshingly, losing weight was nowhere to be found on the list.

I gave up making resolutions years ago. It began the year I swore off chocolate. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how long that lasted. The year before that, not wanting to miss the bandwagon, I vowed to hit the gym five days a week. But there were just so many obstacles coming my way. I had the wrong shoes. The kids got sick every time I tried to head out the door. The house was too messy to leave behind. I had cramps. And so on went the list. The point is, my resolution didn't stick.

These days, I make goals instead. Not grand, moving mountains kind of goals, but simple, achievable, specific goals. Try a new recipe every few weeks. Organize the photos stacked in shoeboxes in the garage into albums.  Initiate date night with my husband once a month. Leave love notes on my kids' pillows. The more fun and realistic the goals, the less pressure there is. I think of them as a bonus, something to pat myself on the back if I do them but not beat myself up about if I don't. So far, it's working. I'm not changing the world, but that's OK.

And yes, I'm still perfectly happy eating chocolate and hitting the gym once a week.

So moms, what about you? What are your New Year's Resolutions this year, or have you sworn them off? We want to hear from you!