Achieving Goals

I recently was cleaning my home office and found some old lists of goals I had made right before I became a father. This is something I often do and then forget where the list went. I thought it would be interesting to see how well I have succeeded with my goals, even though I didn't remember what they were until I found them the other day.

FATHERHOOD GOALS
1. Be consistent - I feel like I've done a pretty good job at that, sometimes
2. Have one-on-one time with each child - So far, this has been hard to do
3. Strict discipline; develop a system of consequences - I have done this well
4. Always make them clean up their own toys - It's like watching paint dry, but they get it done
5. Make children do chores - The girls clear the table and clean up their rooms
6. No allowances! - This will never work
7. Strictly monitor TV & movies; no cable - This has also been accomplished since I'm too cheap to get cable
8. Read to them often - I could do better at this; bedtime is the only time I read to them now
9. Teach them to respect all people - Always a work-in-progress
10. Limit toys; a wooden spoon and a cardboard box can be just as much fun - Compared to most of their friends...mission accomplished!
11. Take them places - We usually go somewhere everyday, but I think I could do a better job of finding more fun places to go for them (Home Depot is not fun for them, but why?)
12. Go out with my wife at least once a month - Lucky to go out once a year; this needs some work
13. Take care of child by myself - Uh, yeah, got this one handled
14. Always teach them - I need to do more
15. Make sure they have enough to do - Some days are better than others

Overall I'd say I'm doing quite well. I'd give myself a B. How about this list of goals I made before I knew I would be an At Home Dad?

THINGS A HOUSE PARENT CAN DO
1. Raise own children - Doing that
2. Provide children with more stable home environment - Yep
3. More vacation because working parent doesn't have to take off for Dr. appointments, house repairs, etc. - I feel this works
4. More time for exercise - I'm trying, but there's not as much time available as I had imagined
5. Visit Grandparents once per month - What was I thinking?
6. Community involvement - With KCDADs definitely, but nothing outside of that and that should change
7. Politics - Helping a candidate is a type of community involvement I could do
8. Start a business - What was I smokin'
9. Play all day - Occasionally we do, but mostly we can't; without clean clothes and food we'd be kinda miserable
10. Keep house clean - Yeah, right!

My goals for being a "House Parent" were a little far-fetched perhaps, but overall I don't think I've missed the mark too far. Let's say B-.

Wonder what my next set of goals are. Guess I'll find out in 5 years.