For as long as I can remember, the New Year has brought mixed emotions, partly because of the ritual of the infamous resolutions. “New Year, New Me?” Yeah, right!
Ok, maybe I am being a little cynical. It could still be a great time of year to pause and reflect. From dealing with school to surprise calls from Indian relatives (“Do you remember me?” “Uhh, sure!”), the New Year is perhaps the only moment we get to slow down, take a breath, and think about our own wants and goals. There’s nothing wrong with aspiring to improve and even dreaming big.
And, being Desi kids, these dreams are inevitably linked to our family. And so, while I usually write these columns hoping other teens will read them, this time I want to turn to parents—because, in a rare moment of pure, unadulterated generosity, I want Indian American children everywhere to have the 2026 that they deserve.
So, parents, here are some New Year’s resolutions—if you’d like a little less eye-rolling from your teen in 2026. Yeah, yeah, you can thank me later.
No more forcing your child to watch Instagram reels
Let’s be honest. There are no bigger screenagers than our parents themselves. When my mom is locked in on Instagram reels, there is truly no saving her AND, consequently, no saving me. Every 5 seconds, she sends me everything from motivational prayers on how I should live my life to Shah Rukh Khan fan edits. And let me clarify, these reels are not optional. Oh no, for if I dare not watch them, she will sit me down and make me watch each and every one as if I am being held at gunpoint. The most fun two hours of my life: “yay… wow… so funny Muma.”
No more performances and embarrassing videos
Since the dawn of time, every lull in a conversation at any party has meant my Mom thinks it is prime time for me to perform. “Oh Gia, sing something, dance for us. Or better yet, let me show this room of people you’ve never met the most embarrassing video of you doing slam poetry.” While I admit I have unending pools of talent, the last thing I want to do is sing Taylor Swift to Swati Aunty, who will somehow steer the conversation into who my Romeo is.
No more thermostat wars
As winter approaches, it brings cold temperatures, and with that, the thermostat. It genuinely gives me PTSD. Just as I am writing this, I’m having flashbacks explaining to my Dad that we are, in fact, freezing in winter and melting in summer, because he believes that utility bills should determine the thermostat setting, not the weather, actually! My parents never fail to remind me that when they were my age, there was no AC, no heater, and they had to swim across a river to get to school. Just writing this now, I am reliving late nights sneaking back and forth, each of us inching the temperature up and down, up and down. Maybe this year we can keep the temperature at 70 without triggering World War III.
No more WhatsApp notifications
Yeah. That family WhatsApp group. How could we not be aware of it, what with the thousands of notifications it graces my phone? With every morning come the infamous good morning pictures (why can’t we just type it), followed by some forwarded medical remedy post that can cure cancer! And if that’s not enough, if I don’t respond in t-minus five seconds, my parents are quick to let me know that I have disgraced my elders and brought shame to the household. My resolution for this year is to finally have the courage to silence the group chat and reply to each message in peace. But I don’t think any superhero or hero on this planet has the bravery to deal with a Desi mom.
That said, for all my bickering about my parents and their quirks, I would gladly toss out this entire list in exchange for everything they mean to me. Yes, the New Year is a time of change, but it is also a time when we recognize what we do have. All of us Desi kids would gladly keep all the eyerolls that accompany the Uncle jokes and Aunty pokes. We’d keep the silly fights that stem from weeks of being trapped in the house together and, yes, we’d even power through the spontaneous performances. Because, at the end of the day, isn’t that what family is all about? (Cue the awwwwww’s.) And so, in a contradictory, roundabout way, maybe the best resolutions parents can fulfill for us kids this year is honestly to never change. But Muma? Let’s maybe tone down the Instagram reels from now on.