Gawd my kids make me feel like a nana!!

Mr 13 has a persistent cough and after his shower this morning I said "That's why I always tell you to dress warm, dry your hair, stop standing around in your wet towel!"  He turns to me and strarts snigering like it's all a big joke - and what the hell would I know? *sigh*

Anyway, due to the atrocious weather this morning, his Waka Ama training was canceled.

Some school holidays these are...I still have wake up at 7:30am to ready to take him to Waka ama training this week...beats the usual 6:30am though right?  maybe next week I'll be able to sleep in...or at least roll around in bed with my gorgeous 5 month old baby *yay*

So I've been thinking about my role as Mother Hen and how people outside my home see me and my role.

Basically, the life hubby and I live, with our kids is what WE have decided works well for us - and that's all that matters right?  And like a lot of other people we have been very fortunate in many ways, and we also make a LOT of sacrifices that come with having only one income (it's times like this that I can be thankful of hubbys adiction to work hard and that he has a good job that pays well)

I have never really had a 'real' job outside the house and I feel that certain my inalws, as much as I LOVE them to death!! people have ever so subtly hinted over the years that REAL WOMAN have REAL JOBS outside the home AND raise their kids at the same time.  Yeah, never mind the fact that for many years I have made some damn good money selling things online.. but of course I haven't left the house to do that so all they see is me relaxing (who has time to farken relax with 5 kids, hubby and house to take care of?!!) kicking back at home spending hubby's money like it's water...go here, go there when I please...Oh yay - lucky me :/

They don't see the crazy mother that wakes up at 6:30am each morning to make sure miss 16 has a nice hot coffee and something to eat before she leaves at 7am, and to get the other kids off to school, dressed properly, organised and HAPPY for the day!! never mind if the baby's been up 2-3 times during the night.

They don't know that when their beloved son, my hubby gets home from work at god knows what bloody time during the night (he does night shift and is home anytime after 2am) that MOST nights I am up again for him (because I choose to, it seems one of the few rare times that we can have peace and quiet, I heat up his food, hang out with him while he eats, just so we can spend some 'quality time what a farken joke!! 

So the house is sometimes a mess...so what?  Did I mention ALL the flippin laundry I do??  I have a huge 9.5kg machine and I do at least 2 loads EVERYDAY!!  I have a vacuuming addiction (WTH!! lol) I vacuum my house at least 2 times a day!!  The dishes pile up out of nowhere it seems throughout the day!   I do it all on my own.  I don't have 2 cousins/nieces staying with me who do feaus for me.  I AM THE FARKEN HOUSEGIRL!! Choo hoo!!  I don't expect my kids to do feaus if they have homework that needs doing or if they choose to study, which seems to be all the time - and that's fine.    I cook damn good, nutritious meals every night except for the once in a while when I am absolutely buggered and we'll have take aways.

I see my role as a full time stay at home mum as my FULL TIME REAL JOB. It's MY REAL JOB to raise these kids the best way I can.  It is my job to know what is going on in their lives...to give them what they need to be happy and succeed.  A lot of parents I know just send their kids to school and expect the teacher to teach.  Well not me.  It's a team effort. I want to be involved.  I know a lot of parents who seem more interested and concerned on how their kids do at Sunday School exams than they are with High School exams.

Leading upto Sunday School exams the parents start drilling into their kids how they must do well!  They take them to Sunday school without fail to study, to learn.  I hope they are as involved when it comes to High School exams!??  Annoys the shite outta me when they have Sunday School Prize Giving...the child who gets first place in each class seem obligated to supply a whole roast PIG  and an envelope for the faifeau.  Ummmm 'scuse me - but what does the child get? 

I'll admit that I have prolly lost a few brownie points with my darling MIL...this year, Miss 16 and I have decided that she doesn't have to attend church activities 2-3 times during the week.  WHY?  Cos we both agree that it is too much and that if the church really gave a shite about the kids schooling then they would finish at reasonable times!!  Seriously, they always seem to have some function to practice or prepare for, so nearly every Sunday evening they have either youth or choir practice - which believe me, does NOT finish till around 10pm.  Same thing happens during the weekdays too!!  Well, I'm sorry, but my school aged child NEEDS to be at home. Studying.  Sleeping. Relaxing.  Preparing for the next school day.

All this practice, practice doesn't leave much time for study does it.  And what for exactly?

Anyway...whine whine whine blah blah blah lol.  That's all I've done this post, I could prolly have gone on a bit more hehehe- don't know what brought it on.  Thank you for putting up with it all if you have managed to hang on and keep reading this far LOL.