About Those Leisurely Naps…
I didn’t consider the Herculean task of getting the kids down for a nap or the importance of adhering to a schedule—lest the kids fall asleep for 10 minutes in the car, which ruins the entire rest of the day. And even if nap time happened on schedule and at home, I didn’t anticipate the terror of the doorbell ringing or receiving a phone call just when the baby finally fell asleep.
About That Comfortable Clothing…
I didn’t reach the obvious conclusion that with no job to go to, I wouldn’t have money for anything but Old Navy yoga pants for half a decade. Or that that if I miraculously had evening plans without kids, I wouldn’t have anything to wear except a black shirt from the first Obama administration and my sexiest pair of mom jeans.
Getting Through It
When I wondered what those stay-at-home parents did all day, my assumption was whatever they wanted. I had no idea how much time would be spent begging small people to put on shoes or eat one more bite.
The amount of time I spent managing other people’s toileting habits can’t be underestimated. If I wasn’t begging my son or daughter to “just go already” I was pleading with them to “hold it just a few minutes longer.” For years my children treated their own bathroom habits as a personal favor to me, and I let them. “Please go potty before we leave,” I’d say. “Ugh, fine,” would be the response. And I was grateful for their reluctant cooperation!
Despite the years I spent fishing things out of toilets and becoming an expert in our town’s free activities for kids, I wouldn’t trade the time I had home with my little ones for anything. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom, a work-at-home mom and a mom who works outside the home. These days I actually do a mix of all three. My life isn’t perfect, but sometimes I get to go out to lunch, I’m not held hostage by nap time schedules and I recently bought myself a new shirt to go with my mom jeans.
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