January (February and March) is a Scam: Moms Deserve a New Year That Actually Works
Why the real “new year, new me” starts after flu season
Every year, the world declares January 1st the ultimate reset button—a fresh start, a blank slate, a time for resolutions, color-coded planners, and ambitious gym memberships. But let’s be honest: who designed this system? Because if they’d consulted a single mom, they’d know that January (February and March too) is objectively the worst time of year to turn over a new leaf.
The New Year is a Disaster for Moms
The first quarter of the year is not a season of renewal—it’s a season of survival. Think about it: many of us roll straight from the chaos of holiday celebrations (equal parts joy and exhaustion) into:
Peak sickness season – For those of us with kids, January is basically a three-month-long epidemiology experiment. Little ones bring home flu, RSV, mystery fevers, and stomach bugs like they’re trading Pokémon cards. If you have teens, you’re not off the hook—congrats, your house is now a breeding ground for whatever nasty virus is going around.
Systemic upheaval – Every 4 to 8 years, we swear in a new president, bringing major changes, uncertainty, and media-fueled stress. Even outside of election years, January is a time of massive shifts in businesses, fiscal years, insurance deductibles, schools, and policies, making everything feel unsettled.
Winter’s cruel grip – Snowstorms, ice storms, endless school delays, and cancellations—our already chaotic schedules get derailed at least twice a week by weather. There’s no consistency, no routine, just a relentless game of “will we have school tomorrow?”
The post-holiday energy crash – We go from festive lights, family gatherings, and gift-giving euphoria to… the coldest, darkest days of the year. It’s no wonder so many of us feel depleted. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real, and vitamin D levels are in the gutter, impacting our moods and immune systems alike.
And yet, we’re expected to set lofty goals? To “seize the new year” when we can barely seize a box of tissues before the next round of kid germs hit?
Moms Deserve a Q2 Reset
Instead of forcing ourselves into this artificial January rebirth, I propose something radical: moms should start their new year in April.
The days are longer, and the sun is actually shining.
The worst of flu season is behind us (mostly, let’s not jinx it).
The snow days are dwindling (sorry, Montana), and we can settle into something resembling a routine.
We’ve survived the first three months of the year, and now we can actually think straight.
April is when things start to feel doable again. Instead of forcing ourselves into “new year, new me” madness in January, let’s shift our resolutions and fresh starts to Q2. Set goals when we actually have the energy to meet them. Get back to the gym when we’re not also playing school nurse. Finally open that planner when our kids aren’t using it as a tissue.
Let’s Declare It: April is the Real Start of the Year
So to all the moms who feel like they’ve already “failed” their new year’s resolutions—take a breath. You haven’t failed; the system has. Let’s take back our calendar and declare April as the real fresh start. The gym will still be there. The goals can wait. But your sanity? That deserves to be prioritized.
There are exactly 42 days left until the Mom New Year.
Q1 was just the trial run. Q2 is when we rise.
Who is with me?
Sarah Wells is the author of Go Ask Your Mothers: One Simple Step for Managers to Support Working Moms for Team Success, and CEO & founder of a mission-driven brand empowering parents with innovative breastfeeding support products. She also leads the Otrera Collective, a mastermind supporting woman-owned small businesses. Sarah collaborates with Employee Resource Groups, management teams, and leadership events to help organizations foster supportive, thriving environments for working moms. Connect with Sarah through Substack, via LinkedIn or directly here.