Does it count as pizza for breakfast if you're eating pizza for your first meal of the day, but it's 3:20 pm?
On a related note, Is putting your little girls in clean white socks and polar fleece pajamas after their bath and letting them slip and slide on your hard wood floor a good way to clean it?
Actually, though I didn't get food until 3:20 pm, I had coffee, tea and a good day! It was my first day of [local state university] class. I'm not going to blog that much about it here. I do have another blog set up for myself about the course. (One entry thus far, but if you want to read it let me know. For now, I'm going to keep it password entry only.)
After the class, I picked up N (5) and took her to art class, and Mary Poppins met me there with the other little girls (K and T)... Mary Poppins stayed for N's art class and I took K and T to the park! YIPPPEEE... It was a beautiful day. I'm so glad we could go.
It's funny, but working allows me to cherish things like sneaking away to the park with my little girls. It sounds trite, and cliche, but I am a better mother because I work (mostly). If I didn't work, I'd be depressed, I'm quite sure, and we all know that's not good for kids. If Momma aint happy, aint no one happy. (I'm not sure who said that originally, I think it's a song, but I don't have time to google it.)
I don't do well when I stay home a lot. I don't like to clean. I don't like to organize. I like to cook, but that's the end of my domestic interests pretty much. Though I'm not here with the girls for every second, when I am, I am happy. I'm working on being a little less busy (INSANE) with my "regular job" so that I can do this sneaking off to the park thing a little more.
Even though the class will take up some more of my time, it will actually make me draw a boundary between my work life at work and my home life I think. Or at least that's the plan.
By teaching this class, I am trying on a different identity. It's the identity I imagined I'd have when I went to graduate school. After graduate school, I found a terrific opportunity and I seized it. I have no regrets. I have learned a LOT. I've had a lot of fun. I've gotten to do some fabulous things. I am so happy with my career. I've been at my job for almost 10 years.
[Sidebar Assuming we get more funding to continue our work (always an if), I imagine I'll stay where I am at that job for 5-10 more years. If we don't get more funding, then it might be time for a slightly different thing for me. (KH: No worries! It would be at least a two year transition though as I am funded to do things I like for 2 more years. We'll know more about our chances for additional funding for what I like in about a month.) ]
Anyway, I am excited to be teaching this class. It's good. I'll most likely have 33 lovely students. Ask me at the end of the semester if I still describe them that way. Heh.
Okay, question for you all... Tell me your favorite stage/age of children. Or... Open Season.... Ask me any question you want about the development of kids 0-18 and I'll try to answer your question.
2 comments:
I think that sounds like an awesome way to clean your floor!
I would very much like to read your course blog, simply because I have taken many developmental courses at my school, and it would be interesting to see how they compare. I have taken Intro Psyc, Developmental Psyc, Language Development, and Personality Development. Last summer I took Adolescent Development (interesting, but not really where I want to focus, I like early childhood more). And I am currently in a Childhood Psychopathology course, and a Behaviour Modification class.
My favorite age/stage of childhood (though I have no children of my own, I have worked and cared for many children of many ages), is the transition from baby to toddler. I like this stage because everytime I see it I am in awe. I love to see them become more independent, more determined to figure everything out, taking more initiative, and becoming more cognizant of their environment. Also, I love the look on any child's face when they first figure out how to run. As soon as they can go fast enough to chase the cat, the squeels of glee are just too much!
Here is my question: In your opinion (because it is nearly impossible to tell for sure), how has birth order affected your children's language development? Is T where N was at the same age in terms of language? Does having N a K chattering up a storm provide language models for T, encouraging her to speak more, and earlier? Or does she not need to speak, because her sisters can say it all for her?
Sorry to be so long-winded.
So far my favourite stage of childhood is the 'Why?' stage. I love the window it gives into how their minds work and I love trying to figure out how to explain complex concepts to them so they understand.
Today's favourite was "Why do ducks have long necks?" because explaining evolution was a challenge.
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