Staying at Home with your kids

I just got home from picking Ali up at school. She smiled when I picked her up at the bus stop and seemed very content to get in the car. Instead of sitting right down she told me all about the day right away. A little boy threw wood chips at her, she got an excellent behavior note, and it was hot at PE. They played soccer and she got to be the goalie.

Earlier I cuddled with Ashling as we talked about her day at preschool. She sang a lot of songs including ABC's, slippery fish, a number song and some other ones. She enjoyed learning the letter G and she liked playing with the other kids. We read a story about Clifford and then I just held her enjoying that she is still small enough to cuddle on my lap as long as I don't call her my baby. I also had her help me with laundry and watched her succeed at putting a puzzle together.

The girls are now playing outside and I got on the internet to check my email. There was an email from some source about whether to stay at home or not. Then there is a list of Pros and Cons to staying at home with your children. All I can say is that all the cons to staying home are completely ridiculous when you consider the pros. My girls know that I am there when they need me no matter when that is. I get to be there for each success they have and for each failure that they endure. I get to be the one who cuddles them and loves them when they are sad and get to see the smiles on their faces when they are happy.

As my girls grow up and leave me home without them, I am grateful that I took the time to be home with them and to see them grow. Now Ali is gone more than she is home and I can't go back and change whether I was there or not. I will never get those moments back and I am glad I was home with the girls. I am also glad that I will be home with our new baby. Whatever the cost, whatever the lonely days full of crying babies and dirty diapers, it is worth it. That is the message I would like to pass along. Staying home with your babies is of more value than anything else you may try to do!