Flora’s resolutions:
1. Stop letting your sister annoy you. Learn how to ignore the incessant noise that is Kate.
2. Stop flipping out. Start taking deep breaths. You’re not even in the double digits yet, and some things aren’t worthy of the drama.
3. Just do your homework. Okay?
4. That friend you have who won’t “let you” decide what to play or how to play it? You may not need her as a friend so much. I’m just saying.
5. Continue to delight in your brain, in your “odd thoughts”, in your difference. Enjoy it, sweetheart.
Kate’s resolutions:
1. Take a stab at being alone sometimes. Doesn’t have to be for a long time. But if I have to put M to bed, and your sister is in the shower, just… chill. Sit on the couch in the family room. Or hang out in your bedroom. Look at a book. I’ll be right back.
2. I understand your need for motion and sound. Just don’t use your need for motion and sound to annoy the crapsticks out of your sister — or me.
3. Remember that you are providing an example for your little brother, who loves and admires you. When you act up, he acts up. When you are calm, he is calm. You don’t have to be a perfect little lady, or a silent lump. Just remember, what you do is going to be echoed. Choose wisely.
4. For the love of all that is holy: please, please learn that a bad dream doesn’t mean jumping into bed with mommy and daddy. Come in, get a hug, let one of us bring you back to bed. Remember: you are safe.
5. Enjoy your energy. Learn to channel it into pep squad and creative endeavors at home. Use your powers for good!
Michael’s resolutions:
1. Learn to wear pants that aren’t sweatpants. I mean, I’m sorry, honey, but the meltdowns when all you have clean are jeans — your dad and I are OVER IT.
2. Stop hitting me, and stop pinching Flora. Just, NO, buddy.
3. Stop imitating Kate when she is being bad.
4. Understand that sometimes your older sisters don’t want you around. They want to play a board game themselves, or pretend with Littlest Pet Shops, or do arts and crafts. Come find me, and I’ll set you up with something of your very own to do.
5. Keep being my chatty little sweet boy. Keep giving me enthusiastic hugs and kisses, and climbing on my lap — maybe not so much when I’m eating. Keep growing into your sweetness.
Dan’s resolutions — HAHAHAHA. I’m not that dumb. Come see me, babe. We can talk about them. I will say, though: keep it up with the gym. Looking good!
If you could give your family New Year’s resolutions, what would they be?
Red Pen Mama 
I am not dumb enough to think that I can actually make someone else’s resolutions, but when I become Queen of the Universe, I will decree…
That my DH stop getting angry when he cannot predict, control or fix everything. Getting angry because it snows without your permission does not make the drive to work any more pleasant.
That my sons will take school more seriously. Learn something. Enjoy the process of learning. Don’t just veer between doing the minimum to get a grade and demanding the universe give you the answers to all the questions you have without effort. I know that it’s a long life, and you have a lot of time to learn, but it’s even longer while living as the working poor.
That my foreign exchange daughter and younger son will learn a new hobby beyond holding down the furniture to ensure that it doesn’t fly to the ceiling in contravention of gravity and watching endless series on netflix.
And as long as I’m looking for miracles, let’s have the dog stop reacting to every movement in the house as though it were a potential food experience. I wasn’t crazy about the dog, and getting a dog with an eating disorder is not a joy.
Oh, I have no delusions that my children will do any of the 1-4s on their lists. Unless properly motivated (i.e. I bribe them).
The sweatpants! That’s my son, too. Every. Single. Day. Either the sweats or shorts (he doesn’t care if it’s our current Arctic temperatures).
If I gave my kids resolutions, they would look very similar to these.
The pants thing is a totally new development (well, as of the end of last year). The tantrums are amazing. So I did buy him sweatpants, if only to keep him from completely disrupting our morning routine.