Resolutions. I love them. Love to make them, write them down, and commit to them loudly with bravado at New Year’s Eve parties (“I’m SO gonna do Tough Mudder this year! AND go gluten-free. WHO’S WITH ME?!!”) even while knowing all that big talk will likely evaporate by February. I just like this time of year when we all attempt to take a few steps toward becoming better humans, at least for a little while.

For me, resolutions fall into two categories:

• Outward Accomplishments — get more writing done, make more money, be the first bald man ever to grow a new head of hair by determination and straining alone
• Inward Improvements — be nicer, be less judgmental, be a tiny bit less hypocritical by not yelling at other drivers just before cutting someone else off myself

To have some nice father-daughter bonding time recently, I sat down with my 14-year-old daughter to talk about making our New Year’s resolutions, particularly in the category of Inward Improvements.

Spoiler Alert: she doesn’t have any.

That is, she doesn’t have any resolutions for herself. Turns out, however, she had several resolutions for me.

Like, a list.

That she’d already written down.

For me.

Ways that I, her father, can improve.

It was a super-productive discussion.

These are the resolutions my daughter told me I should embrace, straight from the 14-year-old’s mouth:

1. No more knocking on my door and asking if I want to, like, hang out all the time. If I want to hang out, I’ll come find you.

Me: But you never want to hang out.

Her: That’s not true. We hung out for an hour yesterday.

Me: That was Christmas. You hung out with me because I was giving you presents.

Her: Well, let’s do more of that kind of hanging out then.

2. You know that thing where you try to use cool slang in front of my friends? Stop doing that. No one actually says “OMG” out loud. It’s not a thing.

Me: Are you sure? Because kids on TV say it all the time.

Her: No! Bad dad.

3. Stop repeating yourself all the time. For example, you don’t need to tell me to wash the dishes FIVE TIMES after every night.

Me:  But you never respond after the first four times. If you did, I would stop —

Her: You don’t give me a chance! Sometimes it just takes me a while to, you know, process what you’re saying.

4. Stop talking about Star Wars, like, all the time.

Me: No.

5. Ease up on my grades. Sometimes a B+ is just fine.

Me: But what if it’s in a class where I know you can get an A?

Her: If I could get an A in a class, I’d already have one. A B+ is still above average, you know.

Me: I’d like to think we can set our goals higher than –

Her: BAD DAD!

6. Stop trying to make me do boring grown-up things all the time.

Me: You mean like laundry?

Her: Very funny.

7. Stop worrying so much about whether I have enough feminine hygiene products in the bathroom.

Me: I just don’t want you to run out of … girl stuff

Her: Dad, you buy “girl stuff” every time you go to the store. I’ll literally never run out for the next 20 years.

Me: Parental responsibility. Listen, someday when you’re an adult you’re going to run out of … stuff, and you’ll look back on what a responsible father I was. And how awkward it was to buy the … stuff.

8. Stop worrying about my screen time. I’m not looking at anything gross online. I’m basically just talking with my friends or drawing on my iPad.

Me: OK. Just promise me you won’t give out any personal information to some stranger claiming to be a 14-year-old named Katy. It might be a 65-year-old guy named Cleetus living in a trailer somewhere.

Her: Dad, I’m not stupid.

Me: Not the point.

9. Stop worrying so much about me in general. I’m totally fine.

Me: Sorry, kid. I’ll never be able to keep that one. Oh, and you should probably know that I’ve made my own set of resolutions that are the exact opposite of everything you just said.

This was originally published in 2016 and later updated. Photo credit: Resolutions and goals via photopin (license)

There are at least two tried-and-true New Year’s dad jokes in every father’s repertoire.

1. Just before the clock strikes midnight, he will swear not to make any more dad jokes for the rest of the year.
2. Shortly after midnight, he’ll yawn and say he’s so tired because he hasn’t slept since last year.

Some might even have a third. At breakfast on New Year’s Day, a clever father will claim he’s starving because — yep — he hasn’t eaten since last year.

To expand your inventory of New Year’s dad jokes, we have searched high and low (OK … mostly low) to find the best, funniest, silliest dad jokes to welcome in another 12 months with laughter. When you’ve exhausted this supply (as well as the patience of your audience), check out our winter dad jokes or, if you’re feeling romantic, move on to our Valentine’s Day laughers.

Best (and worst) New Year’s dad jokes, riddles and puns

Q. What’s the one type of pain that’s enjoyable on New Year’s?
A. Champagne.

Q. What did the woman say when she was offered a raisin on New Year’s Eve?
A. “No thanks, I already have a date.”

Q. Why is New Year’s Eve the least favorite holiday of a slice of bread?
A. It has to make a toast.

Q. Why should you always go easy on your drinking on New Year’s Eve?
A. Because you don’t want to make too many pour decisions.

Q. What did one IPA say to the other IPA after the clock struck midnight on January 1?
A. “Hoppy New Year!”

Q. Why did the dad start making breakfast at 11:59 p.m. on December 31?
A. Because he wanted to make a New Year’s toast!

Q. Where did the chef celebrate New Year’s Eve?
A. Thyme’s Square.

Q. What happened to the dad who stole a calendar on New Year’s Eve?
A. He got 12 months.

Q. What does a ghost say on January 1st?
A. Happy Boo Year!

Q. What is corn’s favorite holiday?
A. New Ear’s Day.

Q. What’s a cow’s favorite holiday?
A. Moo Year’s Day!

Q. What’s the one group that hates New Year’s Day?
A. The Times Square clean-up crew.

+ + +

A guy who had too much to drink decided to walk home on New Year’s Eve. A policeman stopped him and asked where he was going.

“I’m on my way to a lecture,” said the man.

“Who gives a lecture on New Year’s Eve?” asked the cop.

The guy answered: “My wife.”

+ + +

Q. What do you call a fear of New Year’s songs?
A. Ole Langxiety.

Q. Why did the boy sprinkle sugar on his pillow on New Year’s Eve?
A. Because he wanted to start the new year with sweet dreams.

Q. Where do butchers go to party on New Year’s Eve?
A. To a meat ball!

Q. Who finds New Year’s Eve most stressful?
A. People diagnosed with “Ole Langxiety.”

Q. Who gets the most excited about the countdown on New Year’s Eve?
A. Calendar companies.

Q. Why is partying in Times Square on New Year’s Eve overrated?
A. Because every year they drop the ball.

Q. What’s the problem with jogging on New Year’s Eve?
A. You spill too much champagne.

New Year resolution jokes

Dad: Son, are you going to resolve to quit all your bad habits in the new year?
Son: Of course not, Dad! You always told me that nobody likes a quitter.

Q. What is the snowman’s New Year’s resolution?
A. To chill out more

Q. What was the priest’s New Year’s resolution?
A. To exorcise more.

Mom: Wow, did the old year go by in a blur!
Dad: Your resolution must’ve been too low.

Q. What New Year’s resolution should a basketball player never make?
A. To travel more.

Dad: My New Year’s resolution was to eat only 1,000 calories a day.
Mom: How have you been doing?
Dad: Great! So far, I’ve surpassed my goal every day!

Q. What’s the easiest way to keep your New Year’s resolution to read more?
A. Turn on your TV’s closed captioning.

New Year’s dad jokes photo: ©soupstock / Adobe Stock.

Seeking a unique, awesome, outdoor experience for the family this holiday season? Look no further than the magical landscape of dazzling lanterns and holiday lights that is the LuminoCity Festival at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, Long Island.

Our family recently ventured over to immerse ourselves in this wonderland of holiday lights at LuminoCity Festival, now in its fourth year. We loved navigating the spectacular, creative and expansive display of art, color, and light sculptures that heightened the senses, bringing excitement to our family during the festive holidays.

** Keep reading to save 15% on LuminoCity Festival! **

This enchanting experience lasted a little more than an hour. That’s more than enough time for you to snap tons of Instagrammable photos, gawk at the mesmerizing displays, and pop into the heated gift shop. This was our second time at Luminocity and they have definitely found their sweet spot. Shimmering LEDs unfold in a lovely setting where each display area is more beautiful than the next. Additionally, there are numerous animatronic dinosaur displays for all of you dinosaur lovers.

Parking is FREE and located near the entry gates which is a significant improvement from their previous Randall’s Island, NYC location. We were so impressed by the unforgettable, state-of-the-art production that we’ll definitely be back again next year.

Discounted tickets to see the holiday lights

We at NYC Dads Group recognize area families are craving entertaining experiences during the holiday season, so strongly encourage you to grab the opportunity and secure your tickets to LuminoCity Festival before they sell out.

The event runs every Wednesday to Sunday, except on the Christmas and New Year’s Day weekends, from 4:30 – 9:30 p.m. through January 8, 2023. You can choose designated one-hour time slots online to ensure a seamless experience. The last entry is 9 p.m., grounds are cleared at 9:20 p.m.

Tickets run from $19 (kids ages 3-12) to $32. The $68 VIP pass gets you a Fast Pass into the festival, 10% off the onsite gift shop, a Lumi Goodie Bag with Lumi’s favorite things, and a free dino ride for the kids.

Bonus for our members and friends: Save 15% using our exclusive discount code! Visit the ticketing website and enter NYCDADS in all caps) before it closes.

All photos provided by the Somerfeld family.

We’re only a few days from February: How many of you are still keeping to your resolutions? How many of you made resolutions? How many of you know what a resolution means?

Dictionary.com lists one definition of “resolution” as a decision or determination. So what decision did we make for this year? To save more money? Eat better? Finally start using the treadmill gathering cobwebs in the basement corner?

For whatever reason, we often think a resolution has to be this grandiose idea we must let everyone know on social media. We think that if we put it out there others will hold us accountable and we’ll have to stick to it. Friends, that is not the case. The resolutions we make are for ourselves and not for others.

I used to make big resolutions like the ones above, but things changed when I became a parent. I realized this: While it’s good to be healthier and wiser with your money, the main thing you need to do every year is be better than you were the year before. You do not have to change much about yourself if you just try to do a little better.

That is my resolution every year: Do better.

And what does this mean?

To me it means to be there more for my children — every day. For example, one year I started working two jobs, leaving me pretty tired during the week. However, instead of focusing on being tired, I refocused the energy I did have toward my children. Whether it meant reading a few books with them or just being silly with them in the house until we fall down from laughing too hard. I want their memories of their dad to be good ones, not “dad was always too tired to play with us.”

I also need to do better with the world around me. While I know I cannot change every problem in the world right now, I can change what is going on around me. I can smile more to the people I pass on the street as I walk to work. That one smile could change a person’s day. Try it out sometimes. Just smile. And say hello to people, too.

We have to remember we are our children’s role models. As their parents, we must set a good example for them. If our children see us trying a little harder every day to improve the world around us, it will encourage them to have that mentality in life. I would love if my children never stopped doing better their entire lives and always strive to be better than they were the day before.

Just imagine how much our children can accomplish if we showed them how to do better.

So if your New Year’s diet plan hasn’t been working out like you hoped, instead try focusing on what you can do better for yourself and others. And try doing that a little more of that each day.

Photo: © Natallia / Adobe Stock.

It is time again for making resolutions. After downing eggnog and Santa shaped cookies for a month straight, the most common ones for the New Year are usually declared after we look into the mirror and realize, “Yeah, I might need to lose some weight and exercise more.” Now those are some worthy healthy habits!

Millions of people every year decide to face this challenge head on, often by signing up for a membership at their local gyms. Sadly, this is where they typically end their journey. A gym membership is great, but how do you keep from becoming part of that high statistic of people who quit going to the gym after February rolls around?

Success starts with reasonable goals, plans

When signing up for the gym, do you envision yourself going every day after work and hitting the treadmill for two hours? Do you picture yourself at the weight rack seven days a week, hammer curling a couple of 75-pound dumbbells until your biceps rip your shirt to shreds from your massive gains?

Wake up.

The No. 1 reason people quit going to the gym is because they start with unrealisticly high goals. They set themselves up for failure before they even start.

I always advise people to make reasonable goals along with feasible plans to meet them. You want to work out five days a week? Start with a goal of two days a week. When you hit those two days consistently without problem, add a third day.

Baby steps will always get you where you want to go, just be willing to take the time to get there. Remember, no one lies around for a year then jumps off the couch and runs a marathon. You work your way up to a 5K, build up to half marathon and continue to train to finish a full 26.2 miles.

Healthy habits require routines, time to form

The conventional wisdom is that it takes at least 21 days of regularly doing something for it become automatic, or a habit. Your mileage may vary — requiring less or even much more repetition and time.

I know I am a morning person and I have certain days of the week when my mornings are free. So I make my gym/workout sessions the same time in the early part of the day and on the same days of every week. For example, I know that Monday at 8:45 a.m., every week, is my leg workout day/time. It part of my routine just like brushing my teeth is.

Having a schedule you know you can stick to (thanks to having reasonable and manageable goals) makes you more likely to follow through rather than using the “when I have the time” method. If you have a schedule that changes often, try to find or create a “slot” rather than time/day to workout. Change your drive to or from work or dropping the kids off so you go past the gym — it will make it easier for you to stop in and get that workout in. The important thing is to be consistent, and make working out a predictable part of your week.

The dreaded D-word: DIET

When making resolutions, the other area where people tend to go overboard is dieting. They think “I will eat nothing but carrots and gluten-free cardboard,” and after a week — at most — they are gorging on Little Debbie snack cakes.

First, I hate the word diet. You should never do anything that makes you die. I prefer to call it a “live-t” because it needs to be something that you can live with. The real key to healthy “liveting” is tracking what you eat. You might be surprised to find you are eating more than you realized!

There are many great free and paid food-tracking apps you can find for you phones/computers to help. You don’t have to give up the foods you love, you just have to be more aware of the foods you are eating. I personally lost almost 200 pounds doing a program where I still ate the meals I wanted, I just learned to find the right portions and tracked what I ate.

If you think it might be to hard to track your food, I suggest committing to just tracking one day. If that goes well, try for a second day. Pretty soon you will find that you have built a healthy habit!

I hope you were able to find some new ideas to help you on your journey. Remember these three key things:

• Make reasonable goals and plans to meet them.
• Make those goals a consistent part of your life.
• It’s OK to take baby steps toward your dreams.

Put these ideas together and pretty soon you will find that you have gone from making resolutions to having built a healthy habits.

Making resolutions / healthy habits photo: ©AdriaVidal / Adobe Stock.

UPDATED November 2022: The Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx is one of the best winter break activities in NYC that you can do indoors with your children. Tickets are on sale now for this year’s show, which runs from Nov. 19, 2021, to Jan. 16, 2022. Admission is limited so don’t wait to buy tickets. Here’s a review one of our members did of a past year’s show (most of which still holds true).

The annual train show is one of my 4.5-year-old son’s favorite things to see, and this is his third year in a row attending. The show combines major “attractions,” model trains and model architecture, with the buildings of New York City, complete with bridges, made out of plants (remember, this is the Botanical Gardens).

The Holiday Train Show was about the same as previous years, with a few new buildings but younger children are unlikely to remember what they saw the previous time.

Building highlights among the 175 featured include Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building, the Apollo Theater, and the Brooklyn Bridge. They even have the Little Red Lighthouse to complement the George Washington Bridge. The trains are all large-scale and extremely cool. The kids like to get close-up (unfortunately, there is very little you can actually touch) and it’s also fun to watch the trains go overhead across the bridges.

The Holiday Train Show can get very crowded, especially during peak season, which is why I suggest getting tickets for the start of the day Tickets are timed, which means you can’t enter until the time on your pre-purchased ticket, but once you are in, you can stay in as long as you like.

The exhibit is one big loop, and you can go around the loop as fast or as slow as you like, but as one dad pointed out, you might have to deal with a “codger bottleneck” or a pack of school kids. Security prefers that you not go the wrong way on the path. My daughter (15 months), enjoyed walking through, so I stayed at her pace anyway. A couple of the dads made two loops because their kids were napping during the first go round

The Holiday Train Show is a little pricey but it’s a good chance to do an activity you can only do in the winter here in NYC. Strollers aren’t allowed, as there is no room, so bring a carrier if your child doesn’t walk. However, there is stroller parking for those parents that do bring their strollers. I drove up to the New York Botanical Gardens with a friend, which is the easiest way to get there, but parking is expensive if you don’t have a Wildlife Conservation Society membership. Metro-North is also a fast option, and is right across the street. To get there via the subway requires a bus or a schlep as well.

All in all, The Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Gardens is a fun experience, if not a little redundant for me on my third trip. Fortunately, the kids loved it and that’s what matters!

— Josh Kross

NYC Holiday Train Show info

• Location: New York Botanical Gardens, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY
• Hours: Generally, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday and Monday federal holidays.
• Tickets: $20 to $35, children under 2 get in free. Timed entry. Buy in advance. Buy tickets.

Photo: © hitman1234 /  Adobe Stock.

I thought 2020 had run out of curveballs to toss by the holiday season. So around Thanksgiving our family decided to tackle a home renovation project: updating our basement.

While the bad lighting, 1970s carpet and tombstone gray wall panels had served us fine for our first three years in this house, we needed a change. A contractor friend helped us with the plans and, by mid-December, the renovations were going pretty well.

One evening after the workers had left, I started making one of my favorite dinners for the family: smash burgers! Cooking them tends create a smoky house so, as that predictably happened, I turned on the hallway fan to pull some of the smoke out of the house. But as dinner preparations wrapped up, an alarm went off. Not the smoke alarm as expected, but the carbon monoxide alarm. That can also happen with smoky cooking; however, after several minutes of opening doors and windows, the CO alarm continued ringing.

My wife and I decided to call the gas company, moving dinner with the kids to out in the car until they arrived. About 10 minutes later, as we gobbled our burgers and air fryer potato wedges in our minivan, a gas rep showed up. He examined our 25-year-old boiler which we had hoped had one more winter in it, and measured the levels of CO it emitted. He then asked me what level of CO was considered safe. I told him zero. He agreed, noting that up to five parts per million (ppm) is acceptable but it still should be at zero.

Our boiler was emitting 4,000 ppm. Had the CO alarm not gone off, my family and I would not have seen the next morning.

After some failed attempts at repairs the next day, the boiler was replaced, an expense we did not foresee having to deal with.

A damp vantage point of view

A few days after the boiler incident, Christmas Eve came to our New Jersey town along with some of the strongest winds I have ever heard. The house felt like it was going to be pulled right off of its foundation. After a harrowing night of weather, the house was intact; Santa still managed to deliver, but from my point of view our backyard fence looked like an elephant had sat on it.

After a call to our insurance company, some backyard cleaning and the opening of presents, my wife decided to take care on the seemingly never-ending laundry. Near the end of the wash cycle, she headed to the garage for something and she was greeted with half an inch of water creeping across the floor. One of the pipes from the washer had dislodged. Instead of water exiting through the plumbing, it spilled out directly on to the floor and into the garage.

All this while we were still trying to finish packing for a ski trip to New Hampshire that required us leaving our seemingly cursed home for almost a week.

But were we cursed? Was it bad mojo? Would our travels end with a broken leg or a flat tire?

My mind and my wife’s raced with these kinds of thoughts as we mopped the garage and soaked up what we could with our precious supply of paper towels. We even thought about canceling our plans to go on our well-needed vacation with our good friends.

But, that “woe is me” attitude only lasted a few minutes. Our point of view changed because our minds quickly began to contemplate all the outcomes of these scenarios that could have been.

Perspective is everything

The boiler broke and was emitting CO, but our multiple alarms SAVED OUR LIVES.  Literally. We have seen it happen on the news time and time again when people don’t have alarms at all, or never change the batteries. The inconvenience of the broken boiler for a few days pales to the tragedy that could have happened.

Our fence fell down, but our home was still standing. We have insurance to help with the cost of repair. How many times have we seen tornados or fires lay waste to entire towns with families only escaping with their lives while an entire lifetime of memories are gone in a flash?

What is a minor garage flood compared to seeing entire homes underwater when riverbanks overflow in hurricanes, forcing people to their rooftops in hope of rescue from the rising water.

Now, it is OK to be upset by your circumstances. You can be angry. You can feel like your world is caving in. You’re allowed to think the elements are out to get you. Not bottling them those feelings is important because not facing those emotions can often make matters worse.

I always try to put things in perspective when it comes to my life and remember how blessed I truly am. As bad as things seem to be at any given time, sometimes the alternative could be worse. If you use the power of perspective to examine where you are in life, where you want to be and where you could be, it will greatly shape how you approach what life throws your way. And, hopefully, it will shed light on a positive way to deal with it.

Life will constantly throw curveballs your way and you won’t hit a home run every time. It’s going to be a lot of base hits and a lot strikeouts. A. LOT. But if you learn from those experience and grow, your chances of hitting it out of the park your next time at the plate might be that much easier.

Point of view photo: © patpitchaya / Adobe Stock.

Did your family make a New Year’s resolution this month? Probably not, since we tend to think of resolutions as individual endeavors. But that may be the reason so many resolutions fail, as Charles Duhigg explains in his bestselling The Power of Habit.

To change a bad family habit or reinforce a good one, we first need to know how habits operate. Duhigg writes “habits emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways to save effort … without habit loops, our brains would shut down, overwhelmed by the minutiae of daily life.”

In fact, nearly half the actions we perform each day are not decisions, but habits that have become automatic — e.g., brushing one’s teeth or driving a car. That is why it’s so important to learn those habits in healthy ways before they become rooted.

Significantly, an individual is often more successful at changing a bad habit (or reinforcing a good habit) when he or she is part of a group. Duhigg explains: “If you want to change a habit, you must find an alternative routine, and your odds of success go up dramatically when you commit to changing as part of a group. Belief is essential, and it grows out of a communal experience, even if that community is only as large as two people.”

On a large group scale, examples of successful habit changes include the rise of seat belt users, designated drivers and nonsmokers. On a smaller group scale, habit changers like Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous come to mind. On an even smaller group scale, the family can serve as an effective habit changer or reinforcer.

Change of family habits done easier together

To illustrate, I will apply some of Duhigg’s observations to one of my own family habits, especially since my two children are now teenagers. Hopefully my story can encourage parents of younger children who may be in the throes of trying to establish good family habits.

While our family certainly has some bad habits, one of our good habits is that our daughters sleep in their bedrooms without their cell phones. When my older daughter started college and lived away from home for the first time, she was thankful that it was easy to continue ignoring her phone after bedtime, using an alarm clock for waking, and protecting her sleep every night. But that family habit — and the whole family’s belief in its value — did not come easy.

The first important decision for parents about cell phones involves what age they feel is appropriate for kids to have one. We decided on age 12, though each family has different circumstances. Next, it’s important to establish cell phone rules on day one. Some can be negotiable, but my two main ones were no phones at meals or in the bedrooms during sleeping hours.

In those early days, you might say my wife and I were the only “believers” in such phone habits and the importance of a good night’s sleep. I certainly had to enforce a rule sometimes, but there were also moments when I learned to empathize with my daughters. For example, one morning I picked up one of my daughters’ phones and saw a surprising amount of notifications sent at all hours of the night! That showed me the peer pressure she was enduring, and after that I understood why she spent so much time on her phone in the morning “catching up” on all she had missed.

In addition to fostering a healthy habit from the start, parents need to be ready for future challenges to a habit. As Duhigg states, “what you need is a plan.” One of our biggest challenges came during sleepovers, when my daughters’ friends often had a range of family phone policies. Gradually, we negotiated a compromise in which everyone could keep their phones up to a specific time, but then my wife or I would collect and store the phones until morning.

This policy was not always well-received. But years later one of my daughters’ friends told us she actually looked forward to that habitual phone-confiscation because then everyone focused on hanging out in-person rather than online. Paired with my daughter’s grateful comment about college, her sentiment made all the work on (and gradual belief in) our family cell phone habit worth it.

Duhigg explains that such a habit is sometimes called a “keystone” habit, or one that is so foundational that it often leads to other habits. So in the new year, think about what your family’s “keystone” habits might be — both the good and the bad. Then consider making a family resolution to work as a group to change a bad one, or maybe better yet, reinforce a good one.

Photo: © NDABCREATIVITY  / Adobe Stock.

Craving a safe, unique family experience in New York City for the holidays during these crazy pandemic times? Look no further than the oasis of dazzling lanterns and holiday lights that is the LuminoCity Festival at Randall’s Island Park.

Our family recently ventured over to nearby Randall’s Island to immerse ourselves in a wonderland of holiday lights at LuminoCity Festival, now in its second year. We loved navigating the spectacular, creative and expansive display of art and light lantern sculptures that heightened the senses, bringing excitement for our family during a time we desperately needed it.

** Keep reading to save 15% on LuminoCity Festival! **

This enchanting holiday lights experience lasted about an hour. That’s more than ample time for you to snap photos, gawk at the beautiful light displays, and soak in the city light and skyline views in the backdrop. The whole ensemble worked perfectly because of the sea of shimmering LEDs unfolding in a lovely setting on the fields along the East River.

For everyone’s safety during COVID-19, LuminoCity mandates masks for all visitors and temperature checks upon entry, strict adherence to timed ticketing reservations, and capacity limitations on the grounds. There are also sanitizing stations aplenty on the grounds. We felt very safe as our family meandered through the impressive installation, but be careful of the floorboards that you walk on – some were uneven and could be a tripping hazard.

We drove our car this year (there is a $20 parking fee), but we are planning to walk next year using the green footbridge on 104th Street as we’re definitely planning to make this a new, annual family tradition.

Tickets to see the Holiday Lights

We recognize families are experiencing cabin fever in this crazy world we’re living in, so take the leap and score your tickets to LuminoCity (bonus: Save 15% using our exclusive discount code) before it shuts down on January 10.

If a near-death experience goes unnoticed, did it even happen?

Yes, I can confirm, and for that we should always be grateful. I can explain.

Recently, as I drove around my oldest daughter’s college campus, my mind returned to one of the best — but what could have been one of the worst — days of my life.

It was just over 20 years ago, a few years before my wife and I started a family and I became a stay-at-home dad. At the time, I was excited about my new job teaching English at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Another comfort I enjoyed that day was our new leased car: a forest-green Ford Escort ZX2. Although not a sports car, it did have a small spoiler on the back, which I didn’t realize would be the only spoiler I’d experience before the minivan years just down the road. So there I was: clad in my new professorial garb, happily gliding around my new campus in my new quasi-sports car.

Then, it happened.

As I sped down one of the narrow campus streets with parked cars on both sides, a student suddenly walked out from between two cars right in front of me. He was walking in the same direction I was driving, so he did not even see me coming. As I looked at the back of his head, I slammed on the brakes with all my being.

In what seemed like super-slow motion, my green car came to a stop within a hair of the back of this guy’s legs. My face nearly pressed against the windshield; my wide eyes devoured the scene. Then, I fell back into my seat, and my heart resumed beating. But what happened next defied belief.

As I watched the student’s back, he kept walking down the street, gradually crossed it, and disappeared between two other parked cars. He didn’t even know he had just missed being killed by a car!

The reason for his oblivion? Earphones.

At the time, I did not know this incident would contribute to my parenting — and safe driving — philosophies. I believe all humans have moments when they have almost died unbeknownst to them, like this student who went on his way. Consider them “far-death experiences” that remain blissfully beyond our consciousness. I sometimes call this “living in the bonus.” Whether you are religious, spiritual or otherwise, trying to lead each day with a grateful attitude is an especially healthy way to live — and by extension, to parent.

Grateful mindset from outer space or inner space

A related way to cultivate a grateful mindset is through astronomy. Astronomists have documented how fortunate we are that molecules have combined in such complex ways through space and time to enable human life to develop on Earth. In other words, our planet has had many of its own far-death experiences for which we can all feel grateful, regardless of how we explain what makes life possible.

In a surprise display of astronomical gratitude, my youngest daughter once showed her love of our planet by wearing a key chain on her pants that included a little plastic globe. When her 4-year-old cousin saw this fashion piece, she said matter-of-factly: “Nice Earth.” As I witnessed their interaction, I couldn’t agree more.

Similar to contemplating distant death in outer space, focusing on inner space often leads to gratitude as well. All those complicated processes going on inside our bodies to keep us alive at every moment of every day of every year are awe-inspiring. Every human body probably has countless near-misses that we never realize.

Assuming he’s still alive, that college student from many years ago is well into his forties, though he is unaware that he is living in the bonus, and therefore not thankful about it. But we can choose to live with constant gratitude that all those undetected little green cars out there — whether asteroid or embolism — have not crashed into our world so far.

Grateful Photo: © Andrey Popov / Adobe Stock.