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?
Showing posts with label raising nice children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raising nice children. Show all posts
Monday, March 24
Sunday, January 6
Growing up is harder on Parents!!
My oldest is losing a tooth. I want to smack him back a year. How dare you grow up on me? I still remember him getting the hiccups in the womb and me thinking, uh oh, I'm going into labor! This was of course in January and I wasn't due till March.
With all the growing up around here, however, my dear daughter, Princess E (after Princess P on Super why has decided that she still isn't ready to use the potty. Ok, I can deal, since she's got nine months till she is supposed to go to school. However, she will NOT be walking around in pull-ups when she is four. During the summer, if she has not decided to train, I am going to take away all the pullups and put her outside on the deck with her potty. She can either pee on her legs or use the pot. Yeah, drastic, I know, but she is just being lazy. I mean, if you can roll up on me saying, "I boo boo, change me" then honey, that potty's got your name on it!!
Let's not even talk about Mr. J. Seems like just yesterday he was chillin' in his bouncy seat, now he's snatching pretzels off the counter (with a stool cleverly built out of the top of the trash can, the box of ziploc bags and a broken stool - I kid you not). And talking - " come on Mr. J., it's time to get changed..." "No!" Next thing you know if you don't chase him down, you'll find a, ahem, used diaper in the corner and someone else running around half naked.
So, loose teeth notwithstanding, next September the big C starts KINDERGARTEN!!! Stop the madness, now real school begins. As if I didn't feel like an inadequate parent in 1/2 day preschool, now I have to be supermom in real school.
What are they going to teach him in kindergarten, besides how not to clobber your neighbor or try to pull him down by his legs? He knows his colors, he knows his letters (in and out of order). (A pox on you Word World and Super Why!!! Why did you teach my children better than I could? Even Mr. J at 20 months is running around saying the alphabet.) But I digress. The point is, while my son is certainly not gifted (although a smug part of me would like to think so - he is, after all a Yale legacy child.)I am fully aware that he is going to be way ahead of some of the children in his class. As a former teacher, I know this can be either good or bad. I don't want my child used as the class tutor. Certainly, this reinforces his learning as well as helping others, but I want him to excel! If he gets a good teacher, then he will be given the approriate advanced work.
(Yeah, I can hear you all now - Goddess! Shame on you! This is KINDERGARTEN, for goodness sake. C-Dude is merely a babe in the educational woods! Chill out, you type A evil stage mom!)
And you're right. (Biiiiig Goddess sigh.) I've got to tone it DOWN or I'm going to be that "stage mom" parent. But I do worry. Do I worry enough to homeschool? Hmmmmm, get back to me on that a little later. Meanwhile...hey, I'll just check that loose tooth 5x a day - there's nothing Type A about that......is there?
With all the growing up around here, however, my dear daughter, Princess E (after Princess P on Super why has decided that she still isn't ready to use the potty. Ok, I can deal, since she's got nine months till she is supposed to go to school. However, she will NOT be walking around in pull-ups when she is four. During the summer, if she has not decided to train, I am going to take away all the pullups and put her outside on the deck with her potty. She can either pee on her legs or use the pot. Yeah, drastic, I know, but she is just being lazy. I mean, if you can roll up on me saying, "I boo boo, change me" then honey, that potty's got your name on it!!
Let's not even talk about Mr. J. Seems like just yesterday he was chillin' in his bouncy seat, now he's snatching pretzels off the counter (with a stool cleverly built out of the top of the trash can, the box of ziploc bags and a broken stool - I kid you not). And talking - " come on Mr. J., it's time to get changed..." "No!" Next thing you know if you don't chase him down, you'll find a, ahem, used diaper in the corner and someone else running around half naked.
So, loose teeth notwithstanding, next September the big C starts KINDERGARTEN!!! Stop the madness, now real school begins. As if I didn't feel like an inadequate parent in 1/2 day preschool, now I have to be supermom in real school.
What are they going to teach him in kindergarten, besides how not to clobber your neighbor or try to pull him down by his legs? He knows his colors, he knows his letters (in and out of order). (A pox on you Word World and Super Why!!! Why did you teach my children better than I could? Even Mr. J at 20 months is running around saying the alphabet.) But I digress. The point is, while my son is certainly not gifted (although a smug part of me would like to think so - he is, after all a Yale legacy child.)I am fully aware that he is going to be way ahead of some of the children in his class. As a former teacher, I know this can be either good or bad. I don't want my child used as the class tutor. Certainly, this reinforces his learning as well as helping others, but I want him to excel! If he gets a good teacher, then he will be given the approriate advanced work.
(Yeah, I can hear you all now - Goddess! Shame on you! This is KINDERGARTEN, for goodness sake. C-Dude is merely a babe in the educational woods! Chill out, you type A evil stage mom!)
And you're right. (Biiiiig Goddess sigh.) I've got to tone it DOWN or I'm going to be that "stage mom" parent. But I do worry. Do I worry enough to homeschool? Hmmmmm, get back to me on that a little later. Meanwhile...hey, I'll just check that loose tooth 5x a day - there's nothing Type A about that......is there?
Sunday, December 9
Christmas is just around the Corner
Dear readers, I don't have anything especially significant to say today, but just wanted to check in with everyone before the gap between posts got too large and I would have to write yet another 'mea culpa' post. Nevertheless, your entertainment in reading this blog comes first and foremost, so I will attempt to give a quick overview of what has been happening in the last three weeks.
I have been working hard on my website and am in the process of filling basket orders for Christmas. Wow! Last year at this time, I had a barely functional website, only one product and was basically giving the stuff away. Now I have more that four products (yes, I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're making the stuff by hand and testing different formulas, that's a lot!! Now I am considering going natural and totally eliminating the dyes from my product. Notice I said considering!!!I really like the look of some of the colored product, which is why I have an all natural and a nearly all natural section to my website. If you're interested, click the banner at the top of the page.
The little ones are doing quite well - no colds, no one is sick - and my oldest is taking well to his swimming lessons. One day he came home and said to me "I hate swimming." Now, swimming is an integral part of the preschool program, so I wasn't having any of that. So I used that good ol' reverse psychology on him - "Oh really. What's the best thing you like about swimming?" And he proceeded to rattle off a list of things he actually liked about swimming, so another diaster thwarted. I wouldn't want to have to pick him up from school early because he didn't like swimming.
You know, talk about a non sequitur, but what the heck is up with Tyra's hair? Is it me or does it look like she just put a mop on her head? That straw look does not look good on her - I hope she goes back the burgundy!!
Well, that's really it for now - pretty uninteresting, I know, but ya know, that's life....that's what all the people say.....you're riding high in April...Shot down in May.
We're going to be getting our Christmas tree soon - this is the first year that my 19 month old will really be aware of what is going on...let's see how long it take for him to rip all the ornaments off the bottom half of the tree.
I have been working hard on my website and am in the process of filling basket orders for Christmas. Wow! Last year at this time, I had a barely functional website, only one product and was basically giving the stuff away. Now I have more that four products (yes, I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're making the stuff by hand and testing different formulas, that's a lot!! Now I am considering going natural and totally eliminating the dyes from my product. Notice I said considering!!!I really like the look of some of the colored product, which is why I have an all natural and a nearly all natural section to my website. If you're interested, click the banner at the top of the page.
The little ones are doing quite well - no colds, no one is sick - and my oldest is taking well to his swimming lessons. One day he came home and said to me "I hate swimming." Now, swimming is an integral part of the preschool program, so I wasn't having any of that. So I used that good ol' reverse psychology on him - "Oh really. What's the best thing you like about swimming?" And he proceeded to rattle off a list of things he actually liked about swimming, so another diaster thwarted. I wouldn't want to have to pick him up from school early because he didn't like swimming.
You know, talk about a non sequitur, but what the heck is up with Tyra's hair? Is it me or does it look like she just put a mop on her head? That straw look does not look good on her - I hope she goes back the burgundy!!
Well, that's really it for now - pretty uninteresting, I know, but ya know, that's life....that's what all the people say.....you're riding high in April...Shot down in May.
We're going to be getting our Christmas tree soon - this is the first year that my 19 month old will really be aware of what is going on...let's see how long it take for him to rip all the ornaments off the bottom half of the tree.
Friday, September 14
Who are these children and why are they following me?
As you know from my title, I am a stay at home mom. I didn't always used to be a stay at home mom - I decided to do so when confronted with the high cost of day care that did not guarantee your child's safety and well being.
While I don't always guarantee my children's safety (when they're having a blast jumping up and down on the sofa and sitting on the edge of chairs, who am I to interfere with their fun) I can always guarantee my child's well being.....but they don't always guarantee mine.
Here are some cases in point:
My office. I have finally started to establish some "me space" in the house, now that the youngest is 18 months. I mean, children, really, your toys are everywhere in the house, even in the bathroom. Can't you give mommy some space to herself that is not occupied by a plastic, brightly colored toy? Apparantly not. Just like the bathroom, whenever I am the office, there are always emergencies, food needs and potty-training issues. Why? Why must you plague me when I only want a few seconds of peace and to read some email? Right now they are hovering outside of the door, saying "mommy what are you doing in there?" Gee, having some peace and quiet! Leave me be!
The bathroom. Regardless of the hours of potty training, getting to know the toilet better than I truly want to know, the intimacies of pee-pee and boo-boo and annoucements of exactly how much boo-boo is in the toilet, plus numerous readings about Joshua and his chamber pot and continuous perusal of "Everybody Poops", my little ones still seem to be a little bewildered about exactly what I do when I am in the bathroom. How do I know this? When I go into the bathroom and close the door, my oldest will knock and ask "Mommy, what you doing in there?" I used to answer, but why bother when they're just going to ask it again? How many times as a parent am I required to say, "Mommy is using the potty. Give me privacy." Why can't I say, "Look, I'm crapping. Leave me the alone!" I'll tell you why because when their father comes home, that'll be the first thing they tell him "Mommy crapped today." Then it will be repeated to my mother and any trusted adult they see. "Mommy crapped today." "Mommy crapped today." Ugh!
The kitchen
Yes, I am all for children helping you cook and participating.....What? No I'm not. When it's 3 pm and I'm rushing around trying to get things prepared for dinner, I really dont' have time to answer "What are you doing mommy?" Here's the answer I wish I could give, "You wanna eat? Then leave me alone!" (Funny how that 'leave me alone' is becoming a common theme.....)
All right, before you well meaning folks out there call division of youth and family services and trace me via my IP address, being at home isn't all that bad. Yes, the children will follow you from pillar to post (unless they're busy getting into something, which I bet they are RIGHT NOW because it's awful quiet out there) but it's such a blessing to watch them grow and do funny things with each other. You haven't lived until you hear an "argument" between a 3 year old girl and a 4 year old boy. Which is why I cherish every moment I'm at home with them!
While I don't always guarantee my children's safety (when they're having a blast jumping up and down on the sofa and sitting on the edge of chairs, who am I to interfere with their fun) I can always guarantee my child's well being.....but they don't always guarantee mine.
Here are some cases in point:
My office. I have finally started to establish some "me space" in the house, now that the youngest is 18 months. I mean, children, really, your toys are everywhere in the house, even in the bathroom. Can't you give mommy some space to herself that is not occupied by a plastic, brightly colored toy? Apparantly not. Just like the bathroom, whenever I am the office, there are always emergencies, food needs and potty-training issues. Why? Why must you plague me when I only want a few seconds of peace and to read some email? Right now they are hovering outside of the door, saying "mommy what are you doing in there?" Gee, having some peace and quiet! Leave me be!
The bathroom. Regardless of the hours of potty training, getting to know the toilet better than I truly want to know, the intimacies of pee-pee and boo-boo and annoucements of exactly how much boo-boo is in the toilet, plus numerous readings about Joshua and his chamber pot and continuous perusal of "Everybody Poops", my little ones still seem to be a little bewildered about exactly what I do when I am in the bathroom. How do I know this? When I go into the bathroom and close the door, my oldest will knock and ask "Mommy, what you doing in there?" I used to answer, but why bother when they're just going to ask it again? How many times as a parent am I required to say, "Mommy is using the potty. Give me privacy." Why can't I say, "Look, I'm crapping. Leave me the alone!" I'll tell you why because when their father comes home, that'll be the first thing they tell him "Mommy crapped today." Then it will be repeated to my mother and any trusted adult they see. "Mommy crapped today." "Mommy crapped today." Ugh!
The kitchen
Yes, I am all for children helping you cook and participating.....What? No I'm not. When it's 3 pm and I'm rushing around trying to get things prepared for dinner, I really dont' have time to answer "What are you doing mommy?" Here's the answer I wish I could give, "You wanna eat? Then leave me alone!" (Funny how that 'leave me alone' is becoming a common theme.....)
All right, before you well meaning folks out there call division of youth and family services and trace me via my IP address, being at home isn't all that bad. Yes, the children will follow you from pillar to post (unless they're busy getting into something, which I bet they are RIGHT NOW because it's awful quiet out there) but it's such a blessing to watch them grow and do funny things with each other. You haven't lived until you hear an "argument" between a 3 year old girl and a 4 year old boy. Which is why I cherish every moment I'm at home with them!
Monday, August 27
Just Rambling Today
I hadn't realized how long I'd been away from my blog until I stopped by today and noticed that I hadn't posted since last week. Well, you know I've got several stories to share.
Every morning, when I attempt to use the bathroom by myself, my 4 y.o. and my almost 3 y.o. (the 18 month old is confined to his crib) prance and march past the bathroom door (after one of them opens it) asking me "What are you doing mommy, going potty?" (Well at least I know they're not dumb!!) This morning, I viewed the same parade again - 4 year old, then almost 3 year old......then 18 month old???? I had to run back through my memory banks - maybe I lifted him out of the crib before I went to the bathroom??? My oldest cleared that up right away for me - "Joshie was climbing out of the crib and I helped lifted him down so he wouldn't fall."
Wow! Immediately I had three thoughts - yay, I can finally get rid of the crib or at least take the front of it off 2) I don't have to lift that heavy little chunk out of the crib any more and 3) how thoughtful and helpful my oldest was and how succintly he explained his actions.
This is not to say I'm raising a band of angels. Sometimes when they get it going with each other, I make a beeline for the bathroom and take a respite from their noise with my old timers' eighties hits on my I-Pod (thank you DH for that little portable oasis). The point is for me is how nice and unselfish they can be with each other. I get all squishy feeling inside that I actually taught them that! Wow!
Ok, I'm done patting myself on the back. :) - If you have children what are some of the nicest things you've seen them do and were amazed?
Every morning, when I attempt to use the bathroom by myself, my 4 y.o. and my almost 3 y.o. (the 18 month old is confined to his crib) prance and march past the bathroom door (after one of them opens it) asking me "What are you doing mommy, going potty?" (Well at least I know they're not dumb!!) This morning, I viewed the same parade again - 4 year old, then almost 3 year old......then 18 month old???? I had to run back through my memory banks - maybe I lifted him out of the crib before I went to the bathroom??? My oldest cleared that up right away for me - "Joshie was climbing out of the crib and I helped lifted him down so he wouldn't fall."
Wow! Immediately I had three thoughts - yay, I can finally get rid of the crib or at least take the front of it off 2) I don't have to lift that heavy little chunk out of the crib any more and 3) how thoughtful and helpful my oldest was and how succintly he explained his actions.
This is not to say I'm raising a band of angels. Sometimes when they get it going with each other, I make a beeline for the bathroom and take a respite from their noise with my old timers' eighties hits on my I-Pod (thank you DH for that little portable oasis). The point is for me is how nice and unselfish they can be with each other. I get all squishy feeling inside that I actually taught them that! Wow!
Ok, I'm done patting myself on the back. :) - If you have children what are some of the nicest things you've seen them do and were amazed?
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