Svelte- We are on two completely different sides of this debate. I couldn’t disagree with you more! So your idea of being a stay at home mom is that my kids watch me clean and run errands all day?
My children are able to wake up when they want in the morning no rushing because I need to drop them off somewhere at a certain time. And I am able to MAKE them and their father a healthy breakfast that we all eat together before Dad heads to the office. Do they watch me prepare their breakfast and clean their mess? Yes of course they do…they watch their mother care for her family. I could go on but I think that you get the picture and I wouldn’t want to “bore” you.
As far as my children not being in a “learning environment” you are right they are not. My children are in a “discovery environment”. My children are able to pick from an assortment of activities ranging from beadwork, painting, cutting, dramatic play, outside play, reading corner, science center, ect. They work on problem solving, creative thinking, emotional awareness, things that most “learning enviroments” fail to provide.
My children also attend a “pre-school” 2 days a weeks for 3 hours at a Child Development Center that mimics what we teach at home. If they are sick, are having an off day or if we feel like having an adventure day we skip.
In response to “On the first day of kindergarten, you can almost point to each kid that had a stay-at-home mom. Those are the kids that look overwhelmed and, in some cases, cry because they aren’t used to the hub-bub.” Oh thats right we forgot to calllous their fragile skin 🙂 I find that pretty suprising. ALL of my girlfriends are stay-at-home moms and NONE of their children had any problems with the first day of kindergarten.
I believe that our world has gotten so caught up, as you say, the “hub-bub” that our children are missing out on such an important time in their life. My children have their entire life to be stressed, worried, and on a schedule.
My question to you…what is the difference between a newborn and a 2 year old? Does one require less care and attention? I have to tell you that it was a heck of a lot easier having a newborn than it is having a three year old. Give me the nursing every two hours, sleeping, cuddling any day over trying to answer/explain what worms eat and where does rain come and all the “why’s” to a 3 and 4 year old.
I understand that there are different strokes for different folks, but at least be honest with yourself. Did you go back to work because you thought it was best for your kids or because you wanted to? Don’t use the “my kids love it” or the “they are learning so much” line. Given a choice I would bet that all pre-kindergarten kids and most “graders” want to be home with their parents or have them pick them up from school. And there are times when kids want to go to their friends houses and play after school, that I get. And if they truely don’t want to be home with you…why is that?
