New Year’s Eve used to be the highlight of my year. But ever since I had two kids, it has turned into a night I quietly dread. The typical adult party we once enjoyed feels like a distant memory. Here’s what New Year’s Eve looks like for parents:
- Struggling to Find a Sitter: If you didn’t book a babysitter months in advance, good luck! Finding someone willing to take on this night is nearly impossible. And if you do find one, their rates will skyrocket once they see your desperation.
- Wardrobe Dilemmas: You might find yourself contemplating whether it’s acceptable to pair that sparkly top with yoga pants, convincing yourself that no one will notice. Spoiler alert: they will.
- Exhaustion by 9 PM: By 9 PM, you’re already feeling drained, yet you must muster enough energy to last another three hours while pretending to be lively. It’s more exhausting than childbirth.
- Awkward Conversations about Resolutions: When asked about your New Year’s resolutions, you wonder if “survival” is the only honest answer. Other thoughts swirl around, like losing the weight you gained years ago, being nicer to your partner, and finally getting your life organized.
- The Costly Reality: You’ll learn the “Rule of 120” the hard way: $120 for a sitter, $120 for dinner, and another $120 for drinks. After midnight, expect to drop $47 on pizza for your late-night cravings. Then you’ll think about how that cash could have gone towards responsible expenses.
- Energy Envy: Going out with childless friends reveals just how much more energy they have. You can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy knowing they can sleep in until noon if they want.
- Parenting Group Dynamics: If you’re out with fellow parents, you’ll either spend the night discussing your kids, making you regret not staying home, or it will become a wild night that makes your partner wish you had.
- Midnight Fireworks: As the clock strikes twelve, you’ll dread the possibility of fireworks waking your sleeping kids and find yourself mentally preparing for a potential showdown.
- Regrettable Social Media Moments: Those 12:03 AM selfies? Not your best idea.
- Early Wake-Up Calls: No matter how late you stay up or how much champagne you consume, your kids will still wake you at the crack of dawn. It’s like they have a sixth sense for this day.
- Morning After Struggles: You’ll crave coffee and pain relief in the morning, only to discover you’re out of one or both. You might even contemplate trading your firstborn for a large coffee—extra cream and sugar, please.
- Mom Guilt: The next day, you’ll reflect on the money spent and how awful you feel, wishing instead that you had stayed in, snuggling with your kids while watching cartoons and sipping sparkling cider.
- Annoying Party Favors: Your kids will play with those noisy New Year’s noisemakers for months until, in a fit of rage, you finally toss them out.
- Planning for Next Year: By the end of the night, you’ll already be crafting your excuse for next New Year’s Eve, which will likely involve “We couldn’t find a sitter. Have fun, though! I’m so jealous!”
The silver lining of New Year’s Eve post-kids is realizing that the best place to be is wherever you feel most at ease. Perhaps that means spending the night at home in your yoga pants with your family.
Here’s to a new year filled with the challenges of parenthood, embracing our bodies that brought our little ones into the world, striving to be kinder to our partners (at least in the morning), and, maybe, just maybe, getting our lives together—whatever that even means. And if not, there’s always next year!
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Summary
New Year’s Eve can be a daunting experience for parents, filled with challenges such as finding sitters, dealing with exhaustion, and experiencing mom guilt. However, the realization that the best place to be is at home with family can reveal a new perspective on this holiday.