[waitingpatiently]

Here a rough estimate-
After Tax-

Rent- 40%
Car- 5%
Insurance 4%
Life Insurance- 1.5%
College Fund- 3.2%
Health Insurance- 11%
Cable- 1.7%
Trash- 0.3%
SDGE- 0.9%
Water- 0.4%
Spending- 19.5%
Preschool- 4.0%
Savings- 8.5%

We also max out our 401k and contribute to an IRA. We have no allocation for gas, car repairs, drycleaning, entertainment, food, ect, that all comes out of our spending money. If our car needs repairs or gas goes up we eat cheaper and use our “spending” money for it. We actually have two separate accounts. One that my husbands check is direct deposited into and another that our “spending” money is transfered into every Saturday. We only use our “spending” atm for our purchases. It works really really well, if we don’t have the cash we don’t buy it!

I have no idea how people are buying the kind of cars that they do or how people afford to get their hair and nails done? Am I missing something?

[waitingpatiently]

Here a rough estimate-
After Tax-

Rent- 40%
Car- 5%
Insurance 4%
Life Insurance- 1.5%
College Fund- 3.2%
Health Insurance- 11%
Cable- 1.7%
Trash- 0.3%
SDGE- 0.9%
Water- 0.4%
Spending- 19.5%
Preschool- 4.0%
Savings- 8.5%

We also max out our 401k and contribute to an IRA. We have no allocation for gas, car repairs, drycleaning, entertainment, food, ect, that all comes out of our spending money. If our car needs repairs or gas goes up we eat cheaper and use our “spending” money for it. We actually have two separate accounts. One that my husbands check is direct deposited into and another that our “spending” money is transfered into every Saturday. We only use our “spending” atm for our purchases. It works really really well, if we don’t have the cash we don’t buy it!

I have no idea how people are buying the kind of cars that they do or how people afford to get their hair and nails done? Am I missing something?

[waitingpatiently]

Here a rough estimate-
After Tax-

Rent- 40%
Car- 5%
Insurance 4%
Life Insurance- 1.5%
College Fund- 3.2%
Health Insurance- 11%
Cable- 1.7%
Trash- 0.3%
SDGE- 0.9%
Water- 0.4%
Spending- 19.5%
Preschool- 4.0%
Savings- 8.5%

We also max out our 401k and contribute to an IRA. We have no allocation for gas, car repairs, drycleaning, entertainment, food, ect, that all comes out of our spending money. If our car needs repairs or gas goes up we eat cheaper and use our “spending” money for it. We actually have two separate accounts. One that my husbands check is direct deposited into and another that our “spending” money is transfered into every Saturday. We only use our “spending” atm for our purchases. It works really really well, if we don’t have the cash we don’t buy it!

I have no idea how people are buying the kind of cars that they do or how people afford to get their hair and nails done? Am I missing something?

[waitingpatiently]

Here a rough estimate-
After Tax-

Rent- 40%
Car- 5%
Insurance 4%
Life Insurance- 1.5%
College Fund- 3.2%
Health Insurance- 11%
Cable- 1.7%
Trash- 0.3%
SDGE- 0.9%
Water- 0.4%
Spending- 19.5%
Preschool- 4.0%
Savings- 8.5%

We also max out our 401k and contribute to an IRA. We have no allocation for gas, car repairs, drycleaning, entertainment, food, ect, that all comes out of our spending money. If our car needs repairs or gas goes up we eat cheaper and use our “spending” money for it. We actually have two separate accounts. One that my husbands check is direct deposited into and another that our “spending” money is transfered into every Saturday. We only use our “spending” atm for our purchases. It works really really well, if we don’t have the cash we don’t buy it!

I have no idea how people are buying the kind of cars that they do or how people afford to get their hair and nails done? Am I missing something?

[waitingpatiently]

Here a rough estimate-
After Tax-

Rent- 40%
Car- 5%
Insurance 4%
Life Insurance- 1.5%
College Fund- 3.2%
Health Insurance- 11%
Cable- 1.7%
Trash- 0.3%
SDGE- 0.9%
Water- 0.4%
Spending- 19.5%
Preschool- 4.0%
Savings- 8.5%

We also max out our 401k and contribute to an IRA. We have no allocation for gas, car repairs, drycleaning, entertainment, food, ect, that all comes out of our spending money. If our car needs repairs or gas goes up we eat cheaper and use our “spending” money for it. We actually have two separate accounts. One that my husbands check is direct deposited into and another that our “spending” money is transfered into every Saturday. We only use our “spending” atm for our purchases. It works really really well, if we don’t have the cash we don’t buy it!

I have no idea how people are buying the kind of cars that they do or how people afford to get their hair and nails done? Am I missing something?

[waitingpatiently]

sdrealtor-
Thanks for the post..I was hoping that you would chime in. I think that we became piggs around the same time!! I would love to sit and pick your brain about the area. We moved here from Shadowridge and love it (we live close to Mission Estancia in the cheapest rental I could find here) I have tried to talk to people around town to get a feel of different developments but most people say they are all great. I have heard comments that OPE is a snobbish school and that LC Valley are stepford wives. Although, that could be from people that are just bitter or it could be the truth. My husband and I are very joe regulars that don’t feel the need to keep up with the Jones’. We are jeans/shorts, t-shirt/tank and flip-flop type of family that spends most weekend at the beach. But we also like the feel of the newer developments. I am afraid that we will buy in a neighborhood and I will have nothing in common with my neighbors.

We have been looking at the MLS for so long that I am not even sure that we know exactly what we want. We started just wanting a 3/2 sfr and then it went to 4/3sfr, now I would love a 5/4sfr (office, gym, craftroom/kids office) As prices have been dropping my taste has risen. I am starting to think that I won’t mind overpaying by 10% if that means that I can get the house that I love. We are so young and are planning to live in the house until our children graduate from college and then move to our beachfront house (hopefully) that it seems silly to live in our hotel-like house for 75k. We don’t have pictures up and we haven’t unloaded most of our boxes because I don’t want to do it again.

I don’t feel the need to buy at the absolute bottom. We sold in 2006 and feel that if we bought today we are still loads of money ahead. So how does one decide what prices fundamentaly should be? Do you take 2003 prices and add 8% a year?

We went to a couple of open house this weekend in La Costa Valley for the first time and I was a little disappointed with the floor plans. I did not want to start looking at houses before for fear that it would make me want to buy. Do you know how we could get information about the different develpments and floor plans of each? We have of course absolute things that we need. My husband works from home or will when we move, so we need a room that is pretty secluded from the play areas in the house (a master retreat would work great or another room upstairs), I would like the kids rooms to be jack-n-jill or at least have their own bath in their rooms and the kitchen and family room need to be open. We basically want what everyone wants, which is going to be a problem.

Do you have a separate email that I could email you more personal questions that I don’t want the world to know about?

Sorry for the rambling….

[waitingpatiently]

sdrealtor-
Thanks for the post..I was hoping that you would chime in. I think that we became piggs around the same time!! I would love to sit and pick your brain about the area. We moved here from Shadowridge and love it (we live close to Mission Estancia in the cheapest rental I could find here) I have tried to talk to people around town to get a feel of different developments but most people say they are all great. I have heard comments that OPE is a snobbish school and that LC Valley are stepford wives. Although, that could be from people that are just bitter or it could be the truth. My husband and I are very joe regulars that don’t feel the need to keep up with the Jones’. We are jeans/shorts, t-shirt/tank and flip-flop type of family that spends most weekend at the beach. But we also like the feel of the newer developments. I am afraid that we will buy in a neighborhood and I will have nothing in common with my neighbors.

We have been looking at the MLS for so long that I am not even sure that we know exactly what we want. We started just wanting a 3/2 sfr and then it went to 4/3sfr, now I would love a 5/4sfr (office, gym, craftroom/kids office) As prices have been dropping my taste has risen. I am starting to think that I won’t mind overpaying by 10% if that means that I can get the house that I love. We are so young and are planning to live in the house until our children graduate from college and then move to our beachfront house (hopefully) that it seems silly to live in our hotel-like house for 75k. We don’t have pictures up and we haven’t unloaded most of our boxes because I don’t want to do it again.

I don’t feel the need to buy at the absolute bottom. We sold in 2006 and feel that if we bought today we are still loads of money ahead. So how does one decide what prices fundamentaly should be? Do you take 2003 prices and add 8% a year?

We went to a couple of open house this weekend in La Costa Valley for the first time and I was a little disappointed with the floor plans. I did not want to start looking at houses before for fear that it would make me want to buy. Do you know how we could get information about the different develpments and floor plans of each? We have of course absolute things that we need. My husband works from home or will when we move, so we need a room that is pretty secluded from the play areas in the house (a master retreat would work great or another room upstairs), I would like the kids rooms to be jack-n-jill or at least have their own bath in their rooms and the kitchen and family room need to be open. We basically want what everyone wants, which is going to be a problem.

Do you have a separate email that I could email you more personal questions that I don’t want the world to know about?

Sorry for the rambling….

[waitingpatiently]

sdrealtor-
Thanks for the post..I was hoping that you would chime in. I think that we became piggs around the same time!! I would love to sit and pick your brain about the area. We moved here from Shadowridge and love it (we live close to Mission Estancia in the cheapest rental I could find here) I have tried to talk to people around town to get a feel of different developments but most people say they are all great. I have heard comments that OPE is a snobbish school and that LC Valley are stepford wives. Although, that could be from people that are just bitter or it could be the truth. My husband and I are very joe regulars that don’t feel the need to keep up with the Jones’. We are jeans/shorts, t-shirt/tank and flip-flop type of family that spends most weekend at the beach. But we also like the feel of the newer developments. I am afraid that we will buy in a neighborhood and I will have nothing in common with my neighbors.

We have been looking at the MLS for so long that I am not even sure that we know exactly what we want. We started just wanting a 3/2 sfr and then it went to 4/3sfr, now I would love a 5/4sfr (office, gym, craftroom/kids office) As prices have been dropping my taste has risen. I am starting to think that I won’t mind overpaying by 10% if that means that I can get the house that I love. We are so young and are planning to live in the house until our children graduate from college and then move to our beachfront house (hopefully) that it seems silly to live in our hotel-like house for 75k. We don’t have pictures up and we haven’t unloaded most of our boxes because I don’t want to do it again.

I don’t feel the need to buy at the absolute bottom. We sold in 2006 and feel that if we bought today we are still loads of money ahead. So how does one decide what prices fundamentaly should be? Do you take 2003 prices and add 8% a year?

We went to a couple of open house this weekend in La Costa Valley for the first time and I was a little disappointed with the floor plans. I did not want to start looking at houses before for fear that it would make me want to buy. Do you know how we could get information about the different develpments and floor plans of each? We have of course absolute things that we need. My husband works from home or will when we move, so we need a room that is pretty secluded from the play areas in the house (a master retreat would work great or another room upstairs), I would like the kids rooms to be jack-n-jill or at least have their own bath in their rooms and the kitchen and family room need to be open. We basically want what everyone wants, which is going to be a problem.

Do you have a separate email that I could email you more personal questions that I don’t want the world to know about?

Sorry for the rambling….

[waitingpatiently]

sdrealtor-
Thanks for the post..I was hoping that you would chime in. I think that we became piggs around the same time!! I would love to sit and pick your brain about the area. We moved here from Shadowridge and love it (we live close to Mission Estancia in the cheapest rental I could find here) I have tried to talk to people around town to get a feel of different developments but most people say they are all great. I have heard comments that OPE is a snobbish school and that LC Valley are stepford wives. Although, that could be from people that are just bitter or it could be the truth. My husband and I are very joe regulars that don’t feel the need to keep up with the Jones’. We are jeans/shorts, t-shirt/tank and flip-flop type of family that spends most weekend at the beach. But we also like the feel of the newer developments. I am afraid that we will buy in a neighborhood and I will have nothing in common with my neighbors.

We have been looking at the MLS for so long that I am not even sure that we know exactly what we want. We started just wanting a 3/2 sfr and then it went to 4/3sfr, now I would love a 5/4sfr (office, gym, craftroom/kids office) As prices have been dropping my taste has risen. I am starting to think that I won’t mind overpaying by 10% if that means that I can get the house that I love. We are so young and are planning to live in the house until our children graduate from college and then move to our beachfront house (hopefully) that it seems silly to live in our hotel-like house for 75k. We don’t have pictures up and we haven’t unloaded most of our boxes because I don’t want to do it again.

I don’t feel the need to buy at the absolute bottom. We sold in 2006 and feel that if we bought today we are still loads of money ahead. So how does one decide what prices fundamentaly should be? Do you take 2003 prices and add 8% a year?

We went to a couple of open house this weekend in La Costa Valley for the first time and I was a little disappointed with the floor plans. I did not want to start looking at houses before for fear that it would make me want to buy. Do you know how we could get information about the different develpments and floor plans of each? We have of course absolute things that we need. My husband works from home or will when we move, so we need a room that is pretty secluded from the play areas in the house (a master retreat would work great or another room upstairs), I would like the kids rooms to be jack-n-jill or at least have their own bath in their rooms and the kitchen and family room need to be open. We basically want what everyone wants, which is going to be a problem.

Do you have a separate email that I could email you more personal questions that I don’t want the world to know about?

Sorry for the rambling….

[waitingpatiently]

sdrealtor-
Thanks for the post..I was hoping that you would chime in. I think that we became piggs around the same time!! I would love to sit and pick your brain about the area. We moved here from Shadowridge and love it (we live close to Mission Estancia in the cheapest rental I could find here) I have tried to talk to people around town to get a feel of different developments but most people say they are all great. I have heard comments that OPE is a snobbish school and that LC Valley are stepford wives. Although, that could be from people that are just bitter or it could be the truth. My husband and I are very joe regulars that don’t feel the need to keep up with the Jones’. We are jeans/shorts, t-shirt/tank and flip-flop type of family that spends most weekend at the beach. But we also like the feel of the newer developments. I am afraid that we will buy in a neighborhood and I will have nothing in common with my neighbors.

We have been looking at the MLS for so long that I am not even sure that we know exactly what we want. We started just wanting a 3/2 sfr and then it went to 4/3sfr, now I would love a 5/4sfr (office, gym, craftroom/kids office) As prices have been dropping my taste has risen. I am starting to think that I won’t mind overpaying by 10% if that means that I can get the house that I love. We are so young and are planning to live in the house until our children graduate from college and then move to our beachfront house (hopefully) that it seems silly to live in our hotel-like house for 75k. We don’t have pictures up and we haven’t unloaded most of our boxes because I don’t want to do it again.

I don’t feel the need to buy at the absolute bottom. We sold in 2006 and feel that if we bought today we are still loads of money ahead. So how does one decide what prices fundamentaly should be? Do you take 2003 prices and add 8% a year?

We went to a couple of open house this weekend in La Costa Valley for the first time and I was a little disappointed with the floor plans. I did not want to start looking at houses before for fear that it would make me want to buy. Do you know how we could get information about the different develpments and floor plans of each? We have of course absolute things that we need. My husband works from home or will when we move, so we need a room that is pretty secluded from the play areas in the house (a master retreat would work great or another room upstairs), I would like the kids rooms to be jack-n-jill or at least have their own bath in their rooms and the kitchen and family room need to be open. We basically want what everyone wants, which is going to be a problem.

Do you have a separate email that I could email you more personal questions that I don’t want the world to know about?

Sorry for the rambling….

[waitingpatiently]

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?

[waitingpatiently]

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?

[waitingpatiently]

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?

[waitingpatiently]

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?

[waitingpatiently]

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?

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