Ah, motherhood!

I've been reading over my blog as a whole and I see that in some place I've gotten away from my 'saga' of being a black stay at home mom. So, since the little ones are currently coloring and fighting over crayons (what else is new), I can steer the blog back to the stated direction.

A few working moms have asked me "How do you do it? I would go crazy at home with just the kids." "What do you do with them all day?"

Well, after being strictly at home for the past three years (four in September) I've finally got an answer for those people.

I want to start by saying that in no way do I condemn, judge or even point a finger at those moms who don't stay home. Some moms want to, and can't. Some moms can and don't want to. It's everyone's individual choice and to be strictly honest, I don't care what you do. For those who may (or may not with my track record) comment on the blog about how self-righteous I am or whatever, save your upload bandwidth, because I don't care. Yeah, I 'm being REAL Dick Cheney-ish today. (On a side note, you gotta love the dude for being totally direct and honest, right?)

Ok, here's my secret to being a housewife, homemaker, a Yale-educated black chick who chooses to stay at home. I do it because I CAN, I HAVE to and I LIKE it.

I can: We live frugally enough that I can stay home with my children. My oldest is in a preschool program, so don't get the idea that I'm huddled up with a shotgun, canning peaches and homeschooling by candlelight. (Even though something about that IS appealing!).

I have to: Ever read the paper/listen to the radio. I am a worry wart by nature, but these stories about children getting killed by other children in day care (home-based), babysitters strapping children in carseats to watch DVDs or television all day, unsanitary conditions, babysitter's boyfriends/girlfriends/relatives/friends, whomever, coming in and knocking children around, children being locked in daycare...I could go on and on. And certianly for every organized day care incident, there are parental incidents, where parents are doing the very same things to their own children. Nevertheless, the last time I looked, I wasn't crazy (I checked last week)so my children are safe with me.

Plus, I'm a paranoid person. I don't let my children out of my site in the local Target, so how the heck could I let them out of my site for an entire day while I take care of someone else's children? Nope, as George Bush I says, Not gonna do it.

I LIKE it: Look, they're pretty funny as a whole. I love watching the way they interact with each other and how they "tell each other off" (in a little child way of course.) I've laughed out loud at some of the things they say to each other, especially when they are trying to mock me or DH. Mr. J, at 2 years old, is a hoot when he tells Caleb to "go to you(r) room! :)

"Don't you miss talking to grownups?" Ummmmm, in a word, NO. Hey, I'm not anti-social, but I've worked for 15 years in education, and honestly, I prefered the children to the adults for the most part. Adult conversation is overrated and you all know what I'm talking about.

What do you do with them all day? Well, let's see. I: change diapers, have conversations, look at pictures, make playdough, wield a firm hand, comb hair, pat heads, change diapers, encourage potty use, encourage flushing the toilet encourage washing hands, cook food, serve food, discourage writing on the wall, discourage hitting, discourage tattletelling, admire play dough creations, help find monster trucks, check email, write blog posts, hide out in the bathroom, pick up clothes, watch lovely TV programs like:Miffy (did you know she went to Africa?), Truck Competition (monster truck jam), Curious George, Arthur, Sesame Street, shoo children out of the kitchen,shoo children off the windowsill, read the paper, check email, advision on 3 year old fashion choices....the list goes on.

So I'm real busy. LOL

I do love being at home and being secure in the fact that my children are being cared for by ME. This is not to say that I don't spend a portion of some days hiding out in the bathroom from a droopy-diapered stalker, HOWEVER, I wouldn't change it for the world.

Plus, if I were a working mom, how many hilarious stories would you be able to read?