The New Year is right around the corner.  Looking back it’s amazing to see how much New Year’s celebrations have changed for us.  How we celebrate occasions are a good indication of where we are in our lives.
 
When Mami and I were dating New Year’s was usually spent in a loud club with good friends and hundreds of strangers. Once we were married it was more often spent at friend’s parties or at home with invited guests.  That is except for the big 2000 Millennium celebration when Mami was horribly sick.  That year I remember being in our little bungalow and sitting next to Mami on our futon.  She was in her pajamas, wearing her 2000 paper glasses and trying not to throw up.  Other than that year we were usually out and about on December 31. 

The biggest change in how we celebrate New Year’s came after having our kids.  The first New Year after Q was born we stayed in.  We were new and exhausted parents and probably couldn’t find the energy to go out if we had wanted to.  I remember that we put Q to bed and soon after Mami headed off to sleep.  I stayed up watching New Year’s shows on TV and waiting for the “Big Ball” to drop in NY.  At midnight I walked into the bedroom and gave Mami and baby Q their New Year’s kiss goodnight.
 
Granted, there was part of me that wanted to be somewhere celebrating the New Year in some huge way but there was a bigger part that knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.  That was a peaceful feeling and a sign of things to come.
 
After JT was born we got a second wind and started having New Year’s parties again.  The parties were smaller and involved family and friends who also had kids.  But as the night would wear on we’d loose most of the friends with kids.  Those of us who were left would inch our way to midnight and Mami and I would cross the finish line without Q and JT who had long since knocked out. 

Last year marked a big change for us.  We were invited to a party hosted by a close friend who had a stroke of genius.  She decided to make midnight earlier.  Now, I don’t know if this is common for other folks with kids but the thought had never occurred to me to simply change the rules of the game.  I guess it’s all about using the wisdom that comes with age.  Not that we’re old or anything.  After all, they say your 30’s are the new 20’s and 40’s are the new 30’s (of course it’s the 30 and 40 year olds who are saying this).  So, why not make 9 o’clock the new midnight?  Well, that is what we did.
 
This year we will again have a family friendly New Year’s celebration where friends and their kids can celebrate and count down together.  For parents who like their kids to be awake to ring in the New Year this saves them from having to shake a sleepy toddler awake to do it.  We bring out the hats and the party favors.  We have dinner and play games.  We watch the clock and at 8:59pm we start counting down.  The kids get to enjoy the celebration and no one is so exhausted that they wonder why they do this to themselves every year.
 
This is a great lesson for me about being flexible.  It reminds me that a lot of parenting is about being creative.  I’m much happier with a 9 o’clock New Year’s spent with happy kids, a happy wife, friends and family.  I think it’s better than feeling like everything has to happen in the traditional way no matter what.  This also helps to remind me that being a good dad isn’t only about teaching my sons how to do things but it’s also about what I’m open to learning myself.  Well, I look forward to learning lots next year as Q turns 5, JT turns 3 and Mami and I turn … well, we turn.
Happy New Year’s to everyone out there from all of us here on The Daddy Life at diggydaddy.com.  See you next year.