Rayli's Resolutions

Brooke Sanford was sitting at the kitchen table doing her homework. Her little sister, Rayli wandered over to where she was sitting. "What are you doin'?" she asked curiously.

"My homework." groaned Brooke unhappily. "We have to write a New Year's Resolution."

"What's that?" asked Rayli

"It's something that you want to change or do better in the New Year." replied her sister.

"Oh!" declared Rayli enthusiastically. That sounded like fun. She wanted to make a New Year's Resolution too. "Can you only make one New Year's Resolution?" she asked.It sounded like so much fun that she wanted to make lots of them.

"You can make as many as you want." replied her sister.

"I am going to make lots of New Year's Resolutions!" announced Rayli. "I will not eat vegetables! I will not go to school! I will get a dog!"

Brooke shook her head at her sister. "It can't be things you don't want to do anyway and that you have no control over. It has to be things you can control and that will make your life better not just things that you want. Why don't you start with something like I will not annoy my sister when she's doing her homework."

"Okay." replied Rayli disappointedly. It wasn't going to be a fun as she thought but she still want to try. New Year's Resolutions were for big girls, and Rayli wanted to be a big girl like Brooke. Rayli got a piece of paper and a pencil and went looking for her mother.

"Mommy, can you help me write my New Year's Resolutions?" she asked when she found her mother in her room sorting the laundry.

"Sure sweetie." replied her mother. "Just as soon as I finish sorting."

Rayli sighed. She sat down on her mother's bed impatiently. She did not like waiting. As soon as Mommy was done, Rayli excitedly handed her the paper and pencil. "Now, you write what I say." she commanded. Mommy gave her a look. "Please!" added Rayli.  Rayli's Mommy put the pencil to the paper ready to write.

"Number one, I will not bother my sister when she is doing her homework." declared Rayli. "Number two, I will clean my room. Number three, I will eat my vegetables. Number four, I will go to bed when I am told." When she finished stating her resolutions, Rayli sat back and smiled proudly as Mommy read them back.

That night at dinner, she shared her resolutions with the rest of the family. After dinner, the night went quickly and before long it was 8PM, Rayli's bedtime. "Time for bed, sweetie." announced Mommy.

Rayli frowned unhappily. "Just five more minutes. Please!" she begged.

Now, it was Mommy's turn to frown. "I thought going to bed when you're told was one of your New Year's Resolutions."

Rayli shrugged. "Maybe, I'll just have three New Year's Resolution's." she said.

The next day after school, Brooke was sitting at the table doing her homework again when Rayli hurried over. "What are you doing?" she inquired nosily.

"Wasn't one of your New Year's Resolutions to not bother me when I'm doing my homework?" asked Brooke with annoyance.

Rayli shrugged. "I still have two other resolutions." she said. "I am definitely going to keep those." She ran off to her room to play with her toys. After a while, she got bored and came downstairs to watch TV. She had only been watching for a few minutes when she heard her mother calling from upstairs.

"Rayli!" she was yelling in an angry voice. Rayli slowly and worriedly went back upstairs.

"What's the matter, Mommy?" she asked upon finding her mother in Rayli's own room.

"Wasn't one of your New Year's Resolutions to clean your room?" asked Mommy. "This room is a mess!" She pointed around the room. There were toys and books scattered everywhere.

Rayli sighed. "I still have one more resolution. I know I can keep that one!"

That night, Mommy served asparagus with dinner. As soon as Rayli saw it, she made a disgusted face and pushed it to the end of her plate. Asparagus was her absolute least favorite vegetable.

"Rayli," Mommy reminded her. "Don't forget your New Year's Resolutions."

Rayli slowly picked up her fork and moved it toward the aparagus. Then, she quickly moved it away again. "Maybe, I'll make New Year's Resolutions next year instead." she declared.