moms

This is the final part of a small series of posts by Mrs. Simple. If you missed the first or second part check them out.

A few final thoughts… I want my children to love me for me, and not what I buy for them. One of the most important things that I believe is crucial to parenting is teaching my children to respect others, and always be polite. Letting my children walk all over someone is not an option.

So I've written the past three posts to say this: Do I love staying at home with my kids? Not all the time, but I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything! They are growing up right before my eyes. To miss a smile or tear, a first word or first step, would be heartbreaking. I know that I will never get these moments back.

Thanks one last time to my wife for writing these past three weeks… even if I did mangle her writing with my 'editing.'

This is part two of a small series of posts by Mrs. Simple. If you missed the first part of 'Like It Or Not' be sure to check it out.

It's with some reservation that I mention that the "bad" days aren't always because of my girls. Occasionally there are days where I am in the worst mood, and for whatever reason every little thing irritates me. Usually those are the worst days because you know what they say, when mom's not happy, nobody's happy.

On these days, the feeling of inadequacy has crossed my mind more often than not. It's sad but true that the pressure of being a perfect mom by society's standards if often more than I can take. Do I let my kids watch TV? Do I feed them only organic food? Do I sign them up for tons of activities? What am I supposed to do?

I have come to the conclusion that I will do whatever is best for me and my girls. I don't want to be the cookie cutter mom who follows all the latest health trends and listens to the "experts" on how you should raise your kids. I just want to be me and be the best mom possible.

Thanks again to my wife for taking time out of her busy day to humor me. Check back next week for the conlusion of 'Like It Or Not.'

This is part one of a small series of posts by Mrs. Simple. So without further ado, here it is...

By popular demand (or at the request of my husband) I will be writing today's post. I have been racking my brain the last few days on what to write about and have come to the conclusion that I am an expert in one thing and one thing only… being a mom.

This doesn't mean that I know everything there is to know about parenting or being a housewife, it simply means that this is what I do every day. It's my "job" if you will, and I'm sure everyone likes to think they are an expert at their job.

The question I pose and often ask myself is… are the rewards of being a full time mom greater than the struggles? I can't give a definite answer to this question. Although I love my kids more than I can express, there are days when I would like nothing more than to put a muzzle on them both, lock them in their rooms and go shopping, or perhaps have a relaxing pedicure!

Some days I can't believe how "perfect" my girls are, and I can't get enough of them. On those days I feel like the sacrifice of a two income household, having all of the wants in life, and the pleasure of adult conversation is all worth it. But then there are the bad days...

Thanks to my wife for taking time out of her busy day to humor me. I think she has good things to say, and is a better writer than she gives herself credit for. Keep reading over the next month for the continuation of 'Like It Or Not.' This was only a taste of things to come.

As a stay at home mother, my wife makes a six figure income. At least this is what she tells me she should make. As life around the house has become more stressful, she definitely could make a strong argument for a raise, better 401(k) plan, and perks such as free ear plugs and a child sized muzzle.

The little one finally popped her first tooth through. Although this means she'll soon be able to enjoy bigger and better food, biting her sister, and the tooth fairy (eventually), the road ahead is paved with drool, screaming, and more drool. Couple this with the fact that the three year old is pushing all the right buttons and you have one stressed out mama.

So the problem is that historically, I've heard that this company which will be referred to as 'Family' has low employee retention. Some sources even claim that Family turnover is bordering on 50%! If Family doesn't keep morale high, this doesn't bode well for any of the parties involved, especially the new hires. Often they are used as pawns in a power struggle after the founders of Family decide to try and make it on their own.

What is the solution? Perhaps a retention bonus would do the trick. Maybe corporate retreats to faraway locations on the company dime (new hires not allowed… you must have been with Family for at least 5 years). Possibly a new company car would appease everyone. Or just maybe it's the little things, like a freshly painted office, a new mini fridge, and snack packs for lunch.

As President of the Family, I fully admit that our COO has not had the perks that others in her respective field do. In light of this, and the fact that COO appreciation day is fast approaching I implore you to find ways to keep the COO of your corporation happy. After all, they're irreplaceable.

photo courtesy of rick

photo courtesy of freeparking

I had the pleasure of watching the girls about two thirds of the weekend, and it reaffirmed something to me. Women are wired differently. It had been quite a while since I had both girls for more than a few hours, and I knew I was in for a treat. That treat started out like a brownie full of chocolaty goodness, washed down by a tall glass of milk. The three year old played wonderfully, and didn't pitch a fit when it was time to go to bed. The little one drank her bottle, wiggled herself into a comfy spot in her crib, and fell asleep. What I didn't realize was that the delicious 'brownie' that I ate the night before was actually full of laxatives, and everything was about to start spilling out. The little one woke up earlier than normal, and somehow telepathically knew that mommy wasn't in the house… which was expressed by a shriek, instead of the normal cooing and squeals of delight. Luckily her sour mood was temporarily brightened after breakfast was in her belly. I should have enjoyed those moments; because it was the happiest she would be all day. She decided to boycott, naps, hate all her toys, and cry immediately when not being held. Luckily, the neighbors kids were outside all day, so I was able to outsource entertainment for the three year old. I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, mainly because I'm wore out and reminiscing about my time (albeit very short) as a single parent leaves much to be desired. However, I wanted to get the moral of the story in at some point. I thank God that women are wired differently. My wife stays at home with our children, and I realize that I wouldn't be able to. She has way more patience, creativity when it comes to craft time, and willingness to clean poo (along with innumerable other qualities that I don't possess). I think this also applies to working moms, but that's not my life and what I know. So keep on rockin' moms! You keep our families sane.