Always Learning

Before I became that mom, that "stay-at-home" mom, I wondered what those mom's do all day when their kids are away at school.  I would be teased by other co-workers as I headed off to a mat leave with statements like "have fun eating bon bons all day while watching all the soaps" and I thought, really is that what people think?  Is that what I thought?  It's been 2.5 years now since I've been out of the work force in my home.  This is the first year that all 3 of my kids are in school  Yes, we originally thought I would return to work when this time came, but as it approached, reality hit, what about summers?  pd days?  Sick days?  Winter and March breaks?  We just weren't ready yet.  But I had to do something, I had to find a way to bring in a little bit of an income to help buy groceries every week.  And God provided almost immediately, having a neighbour call me in August asking if I could watch her kids before and after school.  It's not something I wanted to do, but it was something I could do, and fit into my routine mornings and afternoons. So I took in 2 extra kids, which then became 3, and now it's 5 extra kids before and after school.

I'm learning lots.  I'm learning that boys have no volume control, when sitting side by side they need to shout at one another about the hockey game results.  Yes I know they are trying to top one another with the facts they know, but for some reason they feel they need to do that very loudly.  When I ask them to stop shouting they say "sorry" and continue on chatting to one another as if a mile is in between them.

I've learned that little boys can destroy a room in less than 10 minutes.

I've learned that little girls can destroy a room in less than 15 minutes.

I've learned that boys can carry on a conversation about Minecraft for 5 days in a row.

I've learned that little girls stop what ever they are doing if the words "let's colour a page" ever gets mentioned.

Someone once casually told me, "you can only clean the house so much in a day".  Well I've learned that I CAN NOT clean the house ENOUGH in a day!  With 8 children in and out the front door morning and afternoon, 2 cats and a dog--No, I can't clean the house enough.  I clean the main floor almost daily and I will enjoy the clean floors and tidy tables for maybe 2-3 hours.  But then the crayons explode, the stones from the playground find homes on my rugs, dog hair clumps on the carpet, books hop of their shelves, game controllers are left on the couches, marbles are hiding from one end of the basement to the other, lego becomes dangerous walking hazards and crumbs, oh the crumbs,  they never seem to really disappear.  I can not clean the house enough.

I've learned that it's best to set their clothes out the night before, and fight those battles then rather then in the mornings.

I've learned that the only way to keep a clean toilet is to force the boys to sit down to pee.  And the only way to keep the sink and counter clean is to put the toothpaste on their tooth brushes for them.

I've learned that even though the many frustrations I experience in that one hour leading up to the start of the school day, doesn't take away the fact that I miss them when they are gone, and I look forward to collecting them at the end of the day when the bell rings.

I've learned that it's never about me.  This isn't something new I've learned really, I found this out when Caleb was born.  Kids are so fascinating, they have so many neat stories, their imaginations are cool, and they are smart.  That when I'm with them, it's always about them, and when they are gone, what I do is because of them.

I've learned that not all kids like rice krispee squares, marshmallows or popcorn.

I've watched relationships grow among my group that couldn't be better.  I could have wound up with rotten kids, with kids who are disrespectful, or rude, bad influences or tempers.  But I don't.  I have THE best bunch of kids, who all get along and truly like each other!  

There is probably so much more I could add here, but my mind is now thinking about how my dinner is probably ready for me to tend to!  There are days where I feel unimportant as a "stay at home" mom.  Sometimes I feel as though I have to defend myself as to why I am at home.  But the rewards I'm experiencing with my children take those feelings away and replace them with feelings of joy, love and privilege.  Sure maybe one day I'll enter back into the workforce, but for now, the sacrifices we have made in order for me to stay home, has been the best career path I've taken.