- You can give birth to a baby. If you give birth to a "fur baby" you're probably on the front page of the National Enquirer.
- You can put your pet in a cage. Although I'd like to some days, you can not put your kids in a cage.
- You can leave your puppy home alone, though you may come back to a mess. If you leave your baby home alone, you'll likely come back to Child Services.
- Pets get fed once a day. My children never stop eating.
- Your dog can live outside and sleep on the ground in a dog house, though you'll probably get hate mail from PETA. Your kid needs specific beds, bedding, monitors, etc. to go to sleep.
- Pets crap on your lawn. Kids, OK, well, Micky has been known to crap on the lawn...but public pooping is frowned upon for children.
- Pets will always need you to fulfill their every need. Children grow up and become self sufficient. Unless they're male children, then they grow up and get married and someone else fulfills their every need.
- You can crack the windows and leave your pet in the parking lot to run into the grocery store. However, do NOT park in the "Mothers with Small Children" spot as a pet is not a child (and really, I think you should be towed). If you do that with your baby, someone like me will call the police on you.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
If Your Baby has Fur, There May be a Problem
I whole heartedly believe that pets can become family members and there is nothing wrong with loving your cats or dogs or hamsters or bunnies. But there is a line...and I'm going to draw it. Pets are not children. You may think that you love them like a child, you don't. If you had to chose between your child and Barky Barkerson, I'm pretty sure Barky would be the one left at the shelter...Though there are days that I've wondered where the nearest orphanage is located, just in case. I understand people that don't have children, and adopt pets. I understand that pets can fill a void, provide companionship, and even reduce stress (there's your first clue that they are NOT children). Here are a few other differences between pets and children...
Monday, June 20, 2011
My 24 Hour Work Day (and maybe a little venting)
I used to work in an office. I had a nice big desk and nobody was allowed to touch my stuff. Work started at 8:30. I worked through lunch and had to stay late to finish end of month accounting. Now that I'm just a "stay at home mom", I don't have to be at work at 8:30. I can sleep in, get up and have some coffee and a bagel while I relax and watch the news. I can get my work out in or go for a long run. Then I can take a nice long shower, put on my make up and blow out my hair. I can pick up around the house while the children read stories to each other in their room. After lunch, I can put the kids in the car and spend the afternoon at the park catching up with all my friends while the kids play and have fun. Then we can come home and they'll play quietly while I make dinner. After a dinner where we discuss the events of the day everyone can clean up their place and the children can go bath themselves. Then I can read them a story and kiss them good night and they're off to dream land while I sip on some relaxation tea and sit on the couch. That is the life of a stay at home mom. You have time to do all the things that you need to do and you really are your own boss.
HAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get the feeling that that is what people might think. I'm not knocking the working mom, and maybe "the grass is always greener", but give me some credit for what I do because I work damn hard. By 8:30 AM, when people are hanging up their coats and chatting with their coworkers while they get coffee, I have my work day well under way. I have run 4-6 miles, showered, made coffee and unloaded the dishwasher, gotten the kids their milk and breakfast, cleaned up said breakfast. I've slathered on the sunscreen and dressed the kids. I've brushed teeth and fixed hair. I've packed lunches and may get to sit and suck down another cup of coffee while directing the kids cleaning up the toys so we can go do whatever we have planned that day...and there always has to be something planned, whether it's a play date or just going to the park. They need exercise and fresh air.
By 1:00 PM, when people are getting back to their desks after lunch with their coworkers, friends, or even maybe their spouse or having a quiet lunch at their desk, I'm starting to think about when I'll have time to sit and suck down another cup of coffee. I have already taken the kids to do whatever it takes to tire them out and dragged them home. Sometimes it's the zoo, the pool, the park, a play date at a friend's house, and on Thursdays it's the grocery store, produce stand and the library. I've fed them lunch and cleaned up said lunch, whether it was a picnic or at home. I've read them a story and tucked them in for a nap.
Most people are turning off their computers at 5:30 and heading home. By 5:30, I've done whatever chore is scheduled for that day (dusting, vacuuming, laundry, lots and lots of laundry, bathrooms, sorting 2t, 3t, and 4t clothes, etc). I've made and eaten my own lunch, which I usually don't get to do when the kids eat, and cleaned it up. The kids have gotten up and are ready play, sometimes with each other, sometimes with "mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy." Tony's lunch for work is made and dinner has been cooked and is being put on the table.
Besides the regularly scheduled programming, I also have to find time to do things like teach the kids about healthy choices, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, manners, their address, how to eat with utensils, use cups without lids, spell their names, how to clean up their own stuff, how to pee in the potty, how to hold a pen and write, etc, etc, etc. I do that, not a daycare or babysitter that gets paid to do it. I do it. Doctor and dentist appointments have to be scheduled. There's always paperwork to fill out and calls to be made. Oh and I'm a wife.
I know that I don't have to get up and run, unless I want to feel miserable. I know that my kids don't have to have activities to do everyday, unless they want to be bored. I don't have to do a lot of the things that I do every day, but I do it to have a happy, healthy family. I made a choice to have a family, and in doing that I took on the responsibility of molding their lives. I do not slight anyone that uses a childcare provider. It may be a choice, it may be a necessity. But I, as a "stay at home mom" (and I use quotation marks because my "job" goes with me even when I'm not at home) do work. I may not sit down at a desk, but I do work, and I work very hard.
HAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get the feeling that that is what people might think. I'm not knocking the working mom, and maybe "the grass is always greener", but give me some credit for what I do because I work damn hard. By 8:30 AM, when people are hanging up their coats and chatting with their coworkers while they get coffee, I have my work day well under way. I have run 4-6 miles, showered, made coffee and unloaded the dishwasher, gotten the kids their milk and breakfast, cleaned up said breakfast. I've slathered on the sunscreen and dressed the kids. I've brushed teeth and fixed hair. I've packed lunches and may get to sit and suck down another cup of coffee while directing the kids cleaning up the toys so we can go do whatever we have planned that day...and there always has to be something planned, whether it's a play date or just going to the park. They need exercise and fresh air.
By 1:00 PM, when people are getting back to their desks after lunch with their coworkers, friends, or even maybe their spouse or having a quiet lunch at their desk, I'm starting to think about when I'll have time to sit and suck down another cup of coffee. I have already taken the kids to do whatever it takes to tire them out and dragged them home. Sometimes it's the zoo, the pool, the park, a play date at a friend's house, and on Thursdays it's the grocery store, produce stand and the library. I've fed them lunch and cleaned up said lunch, whether it was a picnic or at home. I've read them a story and tucked them in for a nap.
Most people are turning off their computers at 5:30 and heading home. By 5:30, I've done whatever chore is scheduled for that day (dusting, vacuuming, laundry, lots and lots of laundry, bathrooms, sorting 2t, 3t, and 4t clothes, etc). I've made and eaten my own lunch, which I usually don't get to do when the kids eat, and cleaned it up. The kids have gotten up and are ready play, sometimes with each other, sometimes with "mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy." Tony's lunch for work is made and dinner has been cooked and is being put on the table.
Besides the regularly scheduled programming, I also have to find time to do things like teach the kids about healthy choices, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, manners, their address, how to eat with utensils, use cups without lids, spell their names, how to clean up their own stuff, how to pee in the potty, how to hold a pen and write, etc, etc, etc. I do that, not a daycare or babysitter that gets paid to do it. I do it. Doctor and dentist appointments have to be scheduled. There's always paperwork to fill out and calls to be made. Oh and I'm a wife.
I know that I don't have to get up and run, unless I want to feel miserable. I know that my kids don't have to have activities to do everyday, unless they want to be bored. I don't have to do a lot of the things that I do every day, but I do it to have a happy, healthy family. I made a choice to have a family, and in doing that I took on the responsibility of molding their lives. I do not slight anyone that uses a childcare provider. It may be a choice, it may be a necessity. But I, as a "stay at home mom" (and I use quotation marks because my "job" goes with me even when I'm not at home) do work. I may not sit down at a desk, but I do work, and I work very hard.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Is it really that hard to follow my rules?
I realize that grandparents are supposed to spoil the kids and dad will always be the fun one, but when people don't follow the guidelines set down by mom, the kids and mom suffer.
I recently went back to work, just on Fridays. My husband is home on Fridays. I knew his skills would need some fine tuning, but he and the kids would survive. The first couple of Fridays were rough. Dad was all fun all day and when I got home and laid the smack down, it was melt down city. Tony quickly realized that Mom's way is the only way. He also realized that the 3 year old can't keep a secret. Paddy will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat.
Today, Tony had to work, so we called on his mother to watch the boys. Not my first choice, since she has never watched them, but it was a last resort. I dropped them off with breakfast, lunch, snacks, and toys all packed. I set up the pack and play in one of the spare bedrooms for Micky to nap. I had already discussed with Paddy, yes the 3 year old, the rules (lunch at noon, nap at 1, no snacks til veggies and sandwiches are eaten, etc). They had the sunscreen on and I told my Mother-in-Law that she could probably just sit on the shaded porch and let them scooter up and down the long driveway till they wore themselves out. Basically, all she had to do was let them run till they drop, feed them lunch and toss 'em in bed for a 3 hour nap. When I got to my in-laws', I was greeted by 2 salty little boys who hadn't napped and had done pretty much whatever they wanted all day including watching 2 hours of TV. Well at least, Paddy told me, they didn't have their pretzels until after their broccoli and carrots, and peanut butter sandwiches...Then they had fruit snacks and a cookie, eh whatever.
So what happens when my kids sit and watch TV, do whatever they want with no consequences, and don't take naps? Well, Paddy was delirious, demanding, fresh mouthed and exuding attitude that even time out couldn't contain. Mick fell asleep on the floor while I made dinner and woke up so he could cry and scream his chubby little face off...So that was a fun meal. The kids were miserable, I was miserable, Tony was miserable (especially since he had already learned this lesson). So please, if you ever watch my kids, just run them like the little jackals they are, feed them like they're bottomless pits (because they are), and for the love of Pete, give them naps!
I recently went back to work, just on Fridays. My husband is home on Fridays. I knew his skills would need some fine tuning, but he and the kids would survive. The first couple of Fridays were rough. Dad was all fun all day and when I got home and laid the smack down, it was melt down city. Tony quickly realized that Mom's way is the only way. He also realized that the 3 year old can't keep a secret. Paddy will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat.
Today, Tony had to work, so we called on his mother to watch the boys. Not my first choice, since she has never watched them, but it was a last resort. I dropped them off with breakfast, lunch, snacks, and toys all packed. I set up the pack and play in one of the spare bedrooms for Micky to nap. I had already discussed with Paddy, yes the 3 year old, the rules (lunch at noon, nap at 1, no snacks til veggies and sandwiches are eaten, etc). They had the sunscreen on and I told my Mother-in-Law that she could probably just sit on the shaded porch and let them scooter up and down the long driveway till they wore themselves out. Basically, all she had to do was let them run till they drop, feed them lunch and toss 'em in bed for a 3 hour nap. When I got to my in-laws', I was greeted by 2 salty little boys who hadn't napped and had done pretty much whatever they wanted all day including watching 2 hours of TV. Well at least, Paddy told me, they didn't have their pretzels until after their broccoli and carrots, and peanut butter sandwiches...Then they had fruit snacks and a cookie, eh whatever.
So what happens when my kids sit and watch TV, do whatever they want with no consequences, and don't take naps? Well, Paddy was delirious, demanding, fresh mouthed and exuding attitude that even time out couldn't contain. Mick fell asleep on the floor while I made dinner and woke up so he could cry and scream his chubby little face off...So that was a fun meal. The kids were miserable, I was miserable, Tony was miserable (especially since he had already learned this lesson). So please, if you ever watch my kids, just run them like the little jackals they are, feed them like they're bottomless pits (because they are), and for the love of Pete, give them naps!
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