This topic was brought up on a mom's group I'm part of.
There is no doubt that I struggle with feelings of regret for being home ALL day with my boys since Riley was born. Some stages have been harder than others.
Every day we walk past this awesome dayhome where the kids are out playing in the back and having a wonderful time together, and my 4 year old asks me when I'm going to work so that he can go play there. So some days I feel like they would have so much more fun with other kids rather than staying at home with boring ol' mom who loses her cool and is so tired of listening to them fight. I feel like they aren't that great socially because they only have eachother and their cousins, so they aren't used to meeting new people all that much. They maybe don't do as many crafts and games and learn their Abc's as early....
BUT...
I am the one who is teaching them about life, and about love and respect and God. I'm the one having fun with them and making memories with them that I hope they will cherish them as much as I do. I pick them up when they fall, I kiss their owwies, I teach them songs and swimming and how to make lego spaceships. They get to be brothers and friends together. They get to be home and be lazy when they want to. We dance, we fight, we exercise, we sing, we eat together, and soon enough they will all be in school with their friends, and living their own lives and I'll be glad I've had this time.
That's what I think about on those really tough days when I wish I could "farm them out!"
6 comments:
I think you have made the right choice. :)
Yeah for you Sarah! I completely agree. It's hard now but I think you'll definitely reap the rewards later in life :) Your boys will bless you for it! You're doing a great job. Thanks for the inspiration!
I was JUST talking about this with someone. I like your ideas. Good job!
I think it was just yesterday that I muttered to myself "I can't WAIT to go back to work!!!". Some days are like that (seemingly a lot for me right now) but like you said, I'm glad it's ME that they say I love you to and that they ask for ME at bedtime and not some babysitter or day care worker. I realize that some people HAVE to work so I really need to count my blessings (even if I'm ready to strangle them most of the time) and enjoy this time I do have with them. They'll be off to school in no time.
I hate being at work full time. I miss being around the kids all the time and missing our on the cute things they say and do. There are days though, (like today), that I would love to be gone for awhile and have someone else deal with the attitudes and the tempers.
Oh Sarah - it's so refreshing to hear honesty! That mom guilt plays funny tricks in your head. Overall I am very glad that I've been able to stay home with our boys (I did work part time between #1 and #2) and we do enjoy being together.....then there are those days where everyone is grumpy and I find myself yelling and frustrated way too much. And now here I am about to start working again for a year - part of me is really excited that I might have something different to contribute to the world, and part of me is really sad that I will miss some special moments with the boys. Although I am glad that Andrew will get to enjoy them. I heard somewhere that "the days are long but the years are short." So true, sigh.
Lisa
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