Play Dough
New Year's Resolutions
December 31, 1997

In an effort to shed light on the issue that hangs on everyone's lips, the one that can be overheard in urgent whispers in coffee shops from Big Sur to the New York highlands, the one upon which the next election is expected to turn -- "What New Year's Resolutions are kids making?" -- your intrepid Fool went out into the field to find out.

We interviewed several of the Small People of varying ages to find out what their resolutions might be. We wanted to glean some small insight into the world that is theirs because they are near and dear to us, ours.

We begin with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. Below is a virtually verbatim transcript of the conversation.

Daddy: Now girls, I want to ask you a question. There's something called a "resolution" that people make this time of year. What's a resolution? Well, it's something that you do, that you want to do better. Like, maybe you want to learn to cook better, or to read, or to be nicer to the dog. That kind of thing. So: what are your resolutions?
3-year-old: Daddy, I want a gingerbread house.
5-year-old: Me too. I want mine to be made out of felt. And I want to make it better.
3-year-old: Me too.
5-year-old: Me too.

We moved on: a 6-year-old girl. She said that she wanted to "be nicer to people who are mean to me, 'cause they don't know what they're doing." From which we conclude that this child is being brought up by parents who have an insightful and constructive view of their child's social development. Bravo!

Next: a 10-year-old boy whose goal was to learn to play a sonata next year -- "a real sonata." A loftier ambition than was expressed by a 12-year-old girl: "Get better grades and a boyfriend." At least she didn't wish for any old grades and a better boyfriend.

We then spoke to a 14-year-old boy. He began giggling when we raised the idea of a New Year's resolution, and it took him some minutes to come up with something. He wanted to know if we wanted his resolution, or other kids' resolutions. We asked for both.

"My own is to get better at doing my homework. As far as other kids go, well, a lot of them are trying to lose weight." Really, we asked, would this be both boys and girls? And how many? And do they go on diets, or what? "Well," he said, "there are 700 kids in my school, and there are a bunch of them not eating well, who are always trying to diet. There's some bulimia around. I know of one boy, and I'd say maybe 20 or 30 girls. The kids know, but their parents don't. I don't think."

Resolution for parents: talk to your kids. Keep an ear open for body-image desperation. Resolution for toymakers and peddlers of the image of glamorous bodies (on TV, in magazines, wherever) and for candy and junk-food makers: umm... er... what can we say? Should we issue a call to stop doing these things? (Sounds hysterical.) Well, let us know on our message boards if you've got some spare light to shed.

Next, a 17-year-old girl, who's resolving to "make a decision about my future: should I get a job, go to college, or join the military?" The good news here is that the urgencies of life are bound to force you to a decision before long in any case. It's good that you're thinking of it beforehand.

From this patchwork quilt we get one glimpse of what is on kids' minds. Let us resolve to guide them as best we can, to encourage the muse in them, to teach them preparation and dedication and good will, to be all that we can be...

Er... to encourage them to be all that they can be, to try to be tuned to their needs...

To enjoy the New Year, and to wish that 1998 will be, on balance, bountiful, peaceful, nourishing, uplifting, and generous.

--David Wolpe (TMF Dbunk)