New Years Eve.

The one drawback to being a parent is New years Eve. When you're single, or don't have kids it doesn't matter that you have no plans for New Years. Just get out and find a bar or nightclub, or go to a late dinner. Or if you have more adult plans that are for 2 (or 3 if you're lucky) you can stay in and celebrate the New Year by yourselves.

This is not the case if you have kids, for me at least. We used to hang out with another couple with kids, but we're not as close as we used to be. and I don't want to get a sitter for the kids again. So I try to call friends and think of something to do, but it seems that many of them were far more on top of it than I was(am) and they've already got plans.

I guess I make a few more calls. If nothing else, we can stay up playing on the Wii and sleep through New Years. I'm NOT watching Dick Clark, or Ryan Seacrest and screw their "rocking eve".