A few days ago, I was referred to as a babysitter.
I won't mention who said it because I'm over it.
Anyways, I sat back, wallowed in it for a few days and now I can see the difference.
I'm a stay-at-home mom...with dreams, goals and aspirations to one day, not be one.
But for now, I'm home. I have been home since the pregnancy of my third child. He will be 10 tomorrow. So my at-home, not making my own money, being what at what feels like an unpaid maid has been me for a while now. So when anyone says to me "You're just a babysitter.", it causes me to step back & question who I am. What I am, why am I this...
Here's my answer...
A babysitter has her own home. She can leave after her services are performed. Her central priority is to make sure the kids are fed & not causing harm to each other.
I am here...I live here. Not like a nanny. This is my family. I don't clock out and live another life. This is my life. My priorities are not centered. They scatter from child to child. I feed, clean, care for, keep from danger, prevent serious harm all while hearing Mommie...more than one would like to hear it.
A babysitter wakes up to care for themselves first. Then heads to their job.
I wake up knowing what I have to do for others...and in the fog before coffee and water hitting my face, I've done a load of laundry & probably picked up a wet towel or two. I've taken out dinner to defrost, figured what the main cleaning project for that day will be, who has a test today, and prayed that when I wake the kids up today, no one starts fighting 30 seconds after waking. I mend boo boos, fix sniffles and coughs, solve homework problems, and teach them about the world. I solve friend issues, and sibling issues and spend much of my afternoon saying "What's wrong now" and "Clean your room".
A babysitter gets paid for their services with money.
I get paid by the security of knowing my bills are paid, money to get groceries & the tons of hugs and kisses I can con the kids out of. My payment is knowing I helped shape 5 future adults...with not much serious damage.
A babysitter has the option of being emotionally attached to the kids.
I have been emotionally attached since the grew in me...no option there.
I don't look for a paycheck, someone to kiss my ass, or carry me on a pedestal...THIS IS MY LIFE...I CHOSE IT.
I love Motherhood, but it is mainly a thankless job. I accept that. But what I don't accept is being compared to a babysitter.
I'd rather be compared to Bounty paper towel....Because I'm a living and breathing quicker picker upper....Not a babysitter.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
TJ, Tyler, Health Class and Nastiness...
TJ & Tyler have Health class...6th grade they learn about the actual act of sex. How babies are made & how to protect yourself. I signed off on it for them to have it and I support sex ed.
With that being said I was NEVER ready to have the talk. I'm a very honest parent...they knew that they came out of my hot pocket and not delivered to me by the stork. BUT I was NOT ready for the talk.
Apparently my kids weren't either...TJ came in giggling and off into his room. He has the makings of a mustache, it's all dark and peachy fuzzy on his face so he went to go play with it...again.
Tyler came in and went straight to me...Here was the convo:
Tyler- Mom, I don't wanna hear anything about penises or vaginas for a long time!
Me-Why?
Tyler- We had health class today and we learned about sex and how you make babies.
Me- OK, you have questions?
Tyler- Yeah....So you let our Daddy do that stuff to you? Five Times? To make us??
Me- Ummmmm, huh?
Tyler- You did! You did!! I can't believe that!! Ewwwwww!!!!
He's gonna need therapy when he finds out 1 I haven't done it just the 5 times and 2 people don't have sex just to make babies.
For the next 3 kids, I'm taking shots of patron when they tell me they had health class....
With that being said I was NEVER ready to have the talk. I'm a very honest parent...they knew that they came out of my hot pocket and not delivered to me by the stork. BUT I was NOT ready for the talk.
Apparently my kids weren't either...TJ came in giggling and off into his room. He has the makings of a mustache, it's all dark and peachy fuzzy on his face so he went to go play with it...again.
Tyler came in and went straight to me...Here was the convo:
Tyler- Mom, I don't wanna hear anything about penises or vaginas for a long time!
Me-Why?
Tyler- We had health class today and we learned about sex and how you make babies.
Me- OK, you have questions?
Tyler- Yeah....So you let our Daddy do that stuff to you? Five Times? To make us??
Me- Ummmmm, huh?
Tyler- You did! You did!! I can't believe that!! Ewwwwww!!!!
He's gonna need therapy when he finds out 1 I haven't done it just the 5 times and 2 people don't have sex just to make babies.
For the next 3 kids, I'm taking shots of patron when they tell me they had health class....
So this is what it feels like to 'blog'.
Well first let me tell you why I am 'blogging'. I've been a mom for almost 13 years now...along the ride with my oldest son, birth control gave up on me 4 other times.....
So, at the requests of many friends family and random strangers who see me in the grocery store and see the look of defeat on me....I'm writing my journey through motherhood down.
I will warn only one time....what I say is honest, and my best recollection of what happens and how I feel. Also, I'm not the best speller, a professional writer or a person that really gives a flying crap on what others think of me at this point. But I do hope that what I write someone will relate, or laugh or realize their life isn't so sucky.
Because my life isn't so sucky.
It has it's moments...time spans...but it's not sucky. I laugh everyday...so it can't be completely sucky.
Well, let me get on with the meat of this first blog. And who I am.
I'm 32. *gulp* I'm the oldest of 3 kids. I got married at 18 to the man who helped bring my 4 sons and daughter. This year will be 15 years together and 14 married.
We had our oldest TJ a year after we were married....10 months later (no that's not a typo), I gave birth to Tyler. There was an 18 month break (didn't like hubby too much then) and then my son Tre` made his arrival. 11 months later (again no typo) I had my fourth son Tyrel. Then to round out the insanity and my need to mock God, 11 months after my youngest boy, my daughter Aaliyah rounded out what I now call Nuggetland.
So that's pretty much how my nuggets got here. They are now almost 13, almost 12, 10, 9 and 8.
So I pretty much have my brain fried at this point.
Let's see what else is there to know....I like vodka...both the reason why I have kids and why I haven't caged them.
Other reason why I started this blog....3 years ago I join Cafemom. And I began writing a weekly journal. I call it my Mid-Week Vent. So many of those I will bring on this if this works out. The Mid-Weeks were my therapy when life wasn't so kind. They were my comfort blanket and my most personal thoughts. I only shared them with fellow moms. My husband hasn't seen them. But now, after much thought....and an addiction to facebook where there are fellow moms that have never seen them.....I'm sharing them.
So my next post will be flashbacks for me, and new stuff for whoever reads this.
But for now, I must stop typing and go be a mom...my oldest just started growing a mustache and he's going to be late. He's been playing with that shadow peach fuzz since he woke up. And my 8 year old needs approval on her outfit...she has a tendency to walk out looking like she's heading to a music video and not school.
Until my next free moment....
Well first let me tell you why I am 'blogging'. I've been a mom for almost 13 years now...along the ride with my oldest son, birth control gave up on me 4 other times.....
So, at the requests of many friends family and random strangers who see me in the grocery store and see the look of defeat on me....I'm writing my journey through motherhood down.
I will warn only one time....what I say is honest, and my best recollection of what happens and how I feel. Also, I'm not the best speller, a professional writer or a person that really gives a flying crap on what others think of me at this point. But I do hope that what I write someone will relate, or laugh or realize their life isn't so sucky.
Because my life isn't so sucky.
It has it's moments...time spans...but it's not sucky. I laugh everyday...so it can't be completely sucky.
Well, let me get on with the meat of this first blog. And who I am.
I'm 32. *gulp* I'm the oldest of 3 kids. I got married at 18 to the man who helped bring my 4 sons and daughter. This year will be 15 years together and 14 married.
We had our oldest TJ a year after we were married....10 months later (no that's not a typo), I gave birth to Tyler. There was an 18 month break (didn't like hubby too much then) and then my son Tre` made his arrival. 11 months later (again no typo) I had my fourth son Tyrel. Then to round out the insanity and my need to mock God, 11 months after my youngest boy, my daughter Aaliyah rounded out what I now call Nuggetland.
So that's pretty much how my nuggets got here. They are now almost 13, almost 12, 10, 9 and 8.
So I pretty much have my brain fried at this point.
Let's see what else is there to know....I like vodka...both the reason why I have kids and why I haven't caged them.
Other reason why I started this blog....3 years ago I join Cafemom. And I began writing a weekly journal. I call it my Mid-Week Vent. So many of those I will bring on this if this works out. The Mid-Weeks were my therapy when life wasn't so kind. They were my comfort blanket and my most personal thoughts. I only shared them with fellow moms. My husband hasn't seen them. But now, after much thought....and an addiction to facebook where there are fellow moms that have never seen them.....I'm sharing them.
So my next post will be flashbacks for me, and new stuff for whoever reads this.
But for now, I must stop typing and go be a mom...my oldest just started growing a mustache and he's going to be late. He's been playing with that shadow peach fuzz since he woke up. And my 8 year old needs approval on her outfit...she has a tendency to walk out looking like she's heading to a music video and not school.
Until my next free moment....
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