by Charlie Brooks posted in Parenting

I don?t put much stock in New Year?s resolutions, but I do see January as a month for new starts. The new year is filled with new opportunities and challenges. As the parent of two rapidly growing children, here?s what I foresee in 2018.

Lots of wistful reminiscences. My kids are 4 and 6 now. They look less like their baby pictures with every passing day. This only becomes more true with each year. I expect to spend a lot of time wishing I could freeze them in amber so they won't grow up.
Too many poop jokes. What?s the funniest thing on the planet right now" According to my daughter, it?s the word ?poop.? Every joke she makes involves saying a normal sentence but replacing the noun with ?poop.? On the bright side, it?s never been easier to make her laugh. Necessary adjustments to tantrums. When my kids throw tantrums, I usually ignore them until they burn out. Unfortunately, they now get more agitated to the point of near-hyperventilation. For the sake of their respiratory health and my wife?s eardrums, I'd better figure out how to handle tantrums better.
A post-Christmas purge. Coming from a relatively poor household, every Christmas seems too big to me. By now, the old toy piles form small mountains in the toy room, so it?s time for a purge to allow the new ones in. Hopefully, this won't cause any tantrums, because?well, see my point above.
Lots of awesome singing. Although they?re a long way away from singing on-key, my kid...