If we are being honest, we gave up on resolutions years ago. Our personal take is that life is a process of continuous development that is guaranteed to end both abruptly, and with many tasks left uncompleted. That is partially a reflection of our stoicism, but it is also an acknowledgement of the reality that life is precious and short. When we consider our wishes we take this fact into account, because if it is short for us it is short for everyone around us. We are not exceptional, special, or entitled to anything more than any of our fellow man – and that includes gaining any more of the precious seconds that tick by on our life clocks. Given this, we continue to press on with a continuously evolving personal to do list on the path to incomplete growth and personal imperfection knowing that there is no way our lists will ever be complete and that what we want today will not necessarily be what is best for us tomorrow. Life is funny that way.

When the knowledge is internalized that you’ll never get it all done, it tends to lead to action. That action generally involves prioritization if you are going to remain sane. Circling back to the idea of resolutions we humbly suggest that this list of priorities deserves more attention on a daily basis than the lies we tell ourselves on the first of each new year. As the owners of a school we have a set of hopes, wishes, and priorities that are in addition to the ones in our personal lives. We think they reflect to-dos that every parent of young children should take and prioritize high up on their list. We will save our hopes and wishes for our internal blog, but our priorities are free for all.

1. We are revamping our meal program to fit the latest science around nutrition. We have made some changes over the past two years to a program that was already exemplary, but ultimately there is more we can do in the interest of producing healthy children who can make smart food choices throughout their lives. The idea that hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and fries are kid friendly foods is both patently absurd and dangerously costly. Children are not born wanting a hot dog or candy bar. The food they have set in front of them is a reflection of parental priorities as well as cultural and marketing influences. Travel the globe and this fact becomes obvious. Look at the numbers for any number of health issues in the US and compare them to other countries and you will see the end game pretty clearly. So what are we doing about it and what can you do?

We are finding ways to further lower sodium and sugar content in the foods we serve. Some of this will be accomplished via new meals. We will also be looking for lower sodium and sugar ingredients for the meals we already make. You can do the same at home. You can also take the big step of checking the nutrition lists at your favorite restaurants and eliminating those that are going to lead to your child having problems later in life.

In order to help we are launching our healthy families resources on the website later this year. This is a collection of recipes and activities that produce positive outcomes. While genetics play a role in our health as well as our outward appearance – including height, weight, and general body shape – our overall health isn’t always reflective of that outward appearance (there are healthy obese people and thin people with myriad health issues). Much of our health is invisible. It is that invisible bit that we can control in more ways than many acknowledge. Check the site and use the resources. Even introducing one new healthy meal a week can help reduce the effects of poor eating habits.

2. We are looking for ways to improve our communication. What we have to say to parents about what is happening at the school is important and we try not to waste their time. We have a weekly newsletter, internal announcements on our website, an event calendar that parents can use to stock their calendars with important information, post information on the door at school, and we use text blasts to issue reminders. All but one of these resources are trackable and we know the open rates on each and they are not what they need to be. About 87% on the best of them, but much lower on what should be the most useful of them. The big consequence is that children sometimes show up to school for an event or planned activity unready, without the supplies they need, and that can mean that they stand out in the worst possible way. We are looking at new ways to communicate information to get people’s attention. As parents, prioritizing communications from your child’s school is critical. Maybe this is a resolution, but it is hugely important. It matters more than work, it matters more than social media, and… well… it just matters more.

3. We have lost many of our face-to-face events to COVID and we hate it. Strong word – but we think it still isn’t enough of a descriptor if we put it in bold type and underline it. We think being social is critical. It helps us all see people in ways that are simply impossible to convey over electronic means. Given that outdoors is pretty safe in terms of group activities we brought our luau back in 2021. We are looking at a spring fling as well as outdoor venues for our traditional events as needed in 2022. It is a reminder that we should have been outside hanging with our neighbors and friends even when the world was sane (actually, we were – there is a lot of neighborly chatting in our neighborhood). We encourage parents to prioritize actual socialization this year. Organize a block party, sit in your yard looking cool until your neighbors walk by, phone an old friend (don’t text) and ask them if they want to catch up at the park. Just get off of social media and get to know your neighbors. It creates strong personal support systems, it helps you get a better picture of who you live near, and it helps iron out the complexities of the world. It matters.

With all of these priorities, the emphasis for parents and educators should always be children first. Our jobs, our friends, and our partners are all tremendously important. But each is in many ways a fully developed and independent entity that can survive without us. Sorry, but the notion that if you left your job the company would fall apart is nonsense. If you left your child the results would not be good. Children are learning everything fresh and ensuring appropriate ways for them to do so at the most opportune time is more important than anything else we can imagine.

Happy New Year