Loving Sept....

     I don't know that I really have anything to say... but I don't think that's ever stopped me from saying it :)  When I was in my early 20's, it was commonly accepted  that it wasn't the quantity of time that you spent with your children but rather the quality of the time.  The idea was that if the mom had a meaningful job and felt fulfilled, then the time she spent with her children after work would be higher quality than if she stayed at home.  When I was young (and before I had our son), I never questioned the truth of that.
   And I don't think I could have had a more meaningful job than teaching young people. And there were perks that went with that job for me as a mom.  I got to spend summers with our son and we also had the same vacations during the school year, even the same snow days which were exciting for both of us!  It was always (or nearly always ;)  a joy for me to see our  son walk into my classroom at the end of the day and once he graduated from high school, that was the first thing that hit me - I'd never see him routinely walk into my room to tell me about his school day.  And I really missed that; still count it a privilege that I had those times with him and I'm sure I always will.
   Also, when he got to high school, I loved it that I actually knew some of the kids that were in his sophomore class.  I really enjoyed taking them to McDonald's after school or helping them in other ways.  (David's sophomore year I was driving my husband's little pick-up truck and the kids started calling it the clown car because when we would return to school for after-school practices or jobs, by-standers would be amazed at how many teen-age boys just kept piling out of that tiny cab!!!  And then there were the times when it would backfire for no reason and David would literally slide down in his seat until he was hidden from view, saying, "I'm not here...")
  But overall, as  this past August gives way to Sept., I have to say that there is a sweetness about staying home. I may get bored before it's over with but right now, I love not having to concentrate on 40 things at once.  When it's time to fix supper, I can just fix supper... I don't have school issues on my mind as well. I don't even have to worry about getting a load of clothes done so that I'll have school clothes  to wear the next day! And even though David is basically grown, I find myself wanting to spend more time with him, feeling more relaxed when I do talk with him.  And now my conversation is mostly about what I've read in a book or what I've  seen on the internet, not how this kid at school got on my last nerves or how this new directive from the powers that be is driving me crazy...
   As I said, in time this feeling may also wane and I may be looking for greener pastures. But right now I'm just grateful.  And just saying to the young moms today who have a lot more on their shoulders than I ever did at their age, if there is any way you can stay at home with your kids, you might find it to be more of a blessing than you think.  Again, it's not for every mom - I understand that.  And for moms like myself, financially it just never was an option for me to stay at home so this is definitely not a guilt trip that I'm trying to lay on someone's shoulders.  I am just saying that right now, I can definitely see the sweetness of being a stay-at-home mom.