The World According to Angela

I get a lot of raised eyebrows or looks of shock when people find out I stay home with my 4 kids and also work part time (from home) 20 hours a week.  People imagine themselves doing such a thing, and they usually decide that it's better me than them.  My husband travels for work quite frequently and for me, it's easier doing this than it was to deal with all the headaches that arose as a result of external daycare and going in to the office full time.  But that doesn't mean that I don't miss it at times.  Anymore, there are days that the most I leave the house is to get the kids to/from the school bus.  Other days I go to a grocery store to buy the mountainload of food it takes to nourish this family.  My problem isn't feeling isolated or bored.  My biggest problem is the noise interference.

Let me explain.  A 5 year old likes to talk.  A lot.  Combine it with 3 5 year olds always wanting your attention to show you something, to ask you something, or to tattle on a sibling.  And then a 1.5 year old thinking she's 5, and getting frustrated when there is something she can't do that her siblings can.  That's a lot of noise.  I don't know about you guys, but I would prefer NOT to talk 16 hours of every single day.  I think some days, all of the noise interference starts changing my normal brain wave activity and I get sensory overload.  I crave silence.  A padded white room perhaps?  Ok, no, not that extreme...I'd be happy with 10 minutes of quiet.

Don't get me wrong; I'm very thankful I have so much time with my kids and very thankful that we talk so much now.  I know one day they'll start becoming more independent, I'll be asking them to talk to me.  And many of their questions are a result of their curiosity and intense learning, so I know that's a good thing.  It's just...well...there are some days when it's overwhelming.  "Can I have a snack?"  "Can I have more milk?"  "How do you spell SpongeBob?"  "Can I have another piece of paper?"  "Why is cold water so cold?"  "How do airplanes fly?"  "Jordyn hit me!"  It's literally constant chatter.  Even worse on those days they wake up with their volume stuck on LOUD.

Ok, I think my brain waves are realigned enough to continue with the day.  Just wait until the day I tell you how much food we consume!