6 Reasons I am a Stay-at-home Mother

"Why am I a stay-at-home mom?" Is the sort of question you ask yourself spending a few long days at home with your children doing the same routine of failing at potty training, random nap times, not-timed nursing, and still no dinner prepared for when hubby comes home. Let us not mention the mountain of laundry hiding in the corner of your bedroom. You know what I mean those day were you feel like a failure?

There are many days I feel like this and I want to sometimes pack up my stuff and head off into the world out yonder...but then I got back to this random list I keep in the back of my head. The list of reason why I am a stay-at-home mother.


1.) The money I save in child care.
We are one income based family and that works very well for us as of right now.  Two incomes technically should bring in more money but when you think about it when it comes to childcare, sometimes one spouse's income gets devoted entirely to childcare and the other for the rest of life necessities. At this point the only jobs I see myself having are ones where my check would be devoted to childcare, so I would rather save the money and spend the time I do have with my kids. :) Plus the money I save is around $450-600 a month.

2.) The time spent with my children as a teacher.
Yes, potting training days are long! Yes, I still can't get laundry done, and yes the sink is once again piling with dishes. But those days are some of the best days looking back. Why? Because on one of those days I taught my daughter to draw and say her shapes. On another day it was me who was teaching my son to roll over. It was me who was teaching my kids their first lesson in life. I loved seeing how excited they look when the accomplish something.

3.) The time spent enjoying my kids.
Pretty much the same reason as above, but only this time I enjoy hours laughing with kids. The tickle times, the laughing times, the learning to speak toddler. I love watching my son and daughter smile. No, they can not hold a nice conversation about culture, current news, or art. But my daughter sure can tell me all the details about Snow White in fluent toddler speech! :)

4.) Not the smallest waistline, but nothing to be ashamed of
This one is very personal to me, because I know myself. If I had no reason to stay home I would be out and about and when I am out and about I love the drive-thru! An early morning chai tea latte from Starbucks! Bread Co. for lunch and some surprise for dinner around 9, because that is when Hubby-Man gets off most nights. No specific times and no counting calories or knowing how many breads I have just consumed! My waist may not be tiny, but knowing myself it would be much larger if I didn't stay home and make my own meals.

5.) Gardening!
Again, since I am home, I get to enjoy home grown organic Roma tomatoes almost every year. And pretty flower all over my deck. I am no expert in gardening but it a nice hobby to have, while the kids play outside. I tend to them for a little while and enjoy the outside.

6.) ART!
Before I was a mother, I was an artist. I would paint for long hours into the night, or sit in public drawing random people. I could spend my days crafting away instead of talking with people. Now with kids I can't do it as often, but I would never be able to do so if I worked full time and had kids. But with just kid I can do my art, but I can also do my art with my children beside me. Sure I have paint all over my floor and by some miracle crayons have no made it on walls, but it is still get to enjoy some afternoons with my paint. Beside my daughter is a natural with her bro as a canvas!

Spending my days

Now I am no parental expert. My kids are 2 years and 6 months. But from the little time I have been parent, I have learned a lot.

One is women do a whole lot more and a whole lot less at the same time. What that mean is, I went from doing 10 art project, work, being a wife, and student in one day, to spending my entire day sitting with my daughter coloring pictures and keeping her from throwing things at her brother. That may seem like I do nothing all day, but those little thing entitle em to teach my daughter her colors, have the chance to teach her name and her words, teach her to treat her brother lovingly, to give hugs and kisses, to share her crayons, don't draw on the wall, don't draw on the floor and most definatley do not draw on yourself....nor your brother.

Between diaper changes and feeding, I have to wrestle her, because she wants to go comando. And then chase her away because she wants to back to nursing when she sees her brother chowing down. With Theo still little enough to nurse it is easy to keep him in the swing, but guess what he now is learning to sit up, so it more floor time, than swing time now.

My back aches because I sit and lay on the floor more than I stand, my meals consist of what my daughter eats, grant it she's a vegghead, but still would like a eat a meal without little hand eating off my plate. 

So yes, I may only be doodling on the floor with my children, but those are my busiest days, but also my most enjoyable!

Until another day

Toodles