I have officially survived my first two days at home with the greatest of ease. The children were perfect angels – George didn’t have a single temper tantrum, Frances did everything I asked with a smile, and both children used “please” and “thank you” with each request. Marshall and Max sat peacefully on their dog-friendly beds and didn’t bark out of turn when a dog, a squirrel or a random leaf moved outside the window. All four dependents remembered to wipe their feet/paws when coming in from playing on our manicured green lawn. I was able to wash each dirty dish as it was used, keep the playroom toys off the floor and organized, fold and put away four loads of laundry, and cook a healthy, organic dinner that everyone loved.
And if you now have the urge to smack me, I would not blame you.
In reality, the first two days at home have been a challenge to say the least. George has been unusually grumpy, which appears to be attributable to allergies and/or teething. Accompanying this grumpiness is an early bout with the “terrible twos.” For George, this means not only throwing himself or an inanimate object (see picture below) on the floor in frustration, but pushing, pulling (as in hair) or biting his sweet sister. Frances, as fervent a two-year-old as she was, never behaved in this way. So needless to say, Will and I sometimes find ourselves just watching George with a “wow” expression on our faces, lost at how to properly discipline him. Frances has been the golden child in comparison, but certainly has had her difficult moments. Things are further complicated with her since she has started her nightmare phase – less sleep for an already early-riser can make anyone irritable.
Day one started with 5 time-outs by 10:00 a.m.
Yes, that is a broken cereal bowl on the floor with George proudly looking on.
Day two ended with the delivery of these beautiful flowers from Will.
In between these two points in time there were skinned knees, brother/sister hugs, fights in the playroom, endless games of tag in the backyard, complaints about lunch food, kisses between the fence posts, muddy footprints on the hardwood and fits of giggles throughout the house.
Will’s flowers came with the following message:
“Congratulations on your new job! Hope your employees were cooperative. Thank you for all that you do! Love, Will”
I think it’s fair to say that I absolutely love my new job. But I have some pretty demanding employees.
It’s a good thing they are so adorable.
Congrats on making it through the first day without going through the Classifieds looking for other work (although who has time for that?!). As a mom who has raised four kids with varying degrees of success, two things to understand about staying home: #1--you will always feel guilty no matter what you do and #2-- at 13 your children will resent you no matter what you do (affirming and completing the feedback loop into #1). So, make this time be as much for you as it is for the kids. Every day find a moment you can call "heaven" (even if it is that two minutes where they are both sitting on the potty but don't yet need a wipe) and hang onto that. You will need it and appreciate it and you will have something wonderful to tell Will every day!
ReplyDeleteLove, your aging sister