Mother's Helper

Mother's helper. 

Options: 

Pills, a la 1950s- not a smart option

Pot, a la 1960s- downside: the kids could get into anything while you're chillin   upside: you won't care so much

Alcohol, a la 1970s- maybe this is a timeless choice. bad choice.

Consumerism and shopping malls, a la 1980s- damaging to everyone involved. money can buy you toys that keep everyone occupied. but at what cost?

I have no idea what moms did to deal in the 1990s. Or any time since. It must be too recent for me to reflect and stereotype. Too soon, man, too soon.

This week I have the ultimate Mother's Helper: my 14 year old sister Molly! The kids love her, she's really nice, and she's not demanding in the slightest. She's just visiting so it's not like I'm ditching her with the kids (which I would if I had hired her).  But she's helping me get the kids into and out of the car, watching C. for me while I take J. to the potty everywhere we go, and generally keeping them out of trouble while I'm busy making dinner or whatever. It's super sweet. I think this might be the answer to everything.  We've been having lots of fun together. The only thing is, she stays up hours later than us (texting I'm sure, though that also happens consistently throughout the day) and then I've been waking her up around 10:30am each day, though we've been up and hanging around the house since 6am.  She's a helper, but she's still a teenager. 

Best Moment So Far This Week: we've had a lot of good times, as usual. I really liked going to a pool party with my Aunt Nancy and Molly and the kids. It was fun to hang with everyone and the kids do so well in a nice warm pool, especially when they get individual attention!

Worst Moment So Far This Week: predators, as usual. First it was when our cat caught a squirrel during our backyard dinner party. That was classy. And then I found it eviscerated and strewn around the back porch. Nice. 

But we also had a run in with a predator that threatened our little baby chicks.  The 8 little chicks are getting big so fast and we're keeping them in a duck pond in the garage. This is a good nursery and it keeps them safe and warm. But they're trying to stretch their little wings and figure out their new feathers so they would appreciate more room once in a while.  

I made a cage outside with baby gates and netting over top, just in case. I placed it under a big pine tree so they'd get shade and be hidden, plus I gave them a little rubbermaid tub inside as a panic room.  Jeremiah said it would never work; I was creating a predator buffet with neatly corralled snacks.

He went out to check on them a little while later and there was a hawk perched on the top of the baby gate, gazing inside. The netting was pushed down in the middle, as if it had been dive-bombed by a hawk. The netting wasn't secure so it was only a matter of time. 

We quickly put them back inside. I've got a prototype for a new one that uses molded chicken wire and plywood but I'm still nervous. 

Because, like, sheesh!

Thoughts lately:  

I hope we're doing the right thing by putting J. into a preschool 3 days a week (3 hrs each time). Add those days to my work schedule (2 days per week) and I'd only have one day each week to spend with both kids and do whatever our hearts desire. Weekends are always booked with fun but usually obligatory things, like my work. 

I'm a bit nervous that I'm falling for that syndrome "kids getting older younger" where teenagers are acting like adults, 10 year olds are acting like teenagers, and on down the line until you end up with newborns doing Baby Einstein to learn colors!  Or I've even heard of babies in the womb listening to other languages via headphones.  Sheesh! 

Let kids be kids! But give them stimulation so that they're smarter than you were. No one wants their genetic material giving them a bad name. 

I feel I was blessed with a very enriching young life. I remember my mom doing all sorts of fun crafty stuff with me and then I remember going to a Waldorf Montessori Preschool and I think it helped me be a creative thinker, which lead me to be the genius you know now.  : )

I want my kids to enjoy the world as much as their parents do and I want to be a part of it!  

So as enriching and fabulous as I think this preschool will be, I'm still hesitant. She's just 3! she doesn't go to kindergarten for 2 more years! I could wait a year and she'd still be on track with one year of preschool! 

Am I falling for the fad of getting older younger? Or is this really the right thing for J.? 

I think it's the right thing. But I'm still worried anyhow.