In a Frizzle

I'm afraid I may have failed Building Community 101.

I am embarassed, therefore the frizzle.

One of the things I have noticed about being a stay at home Mum is that sometimes you are asked to look after other people's kids, or it inadvertently it happens. All the examples I could give you, I don't know actually what happened, or if anyone was actually in the wrong.

But I get somehow looking after kids, and this is not really my thing. My thing is to look after kids, mostly all the time, lots of them, but mine. I like looking after my own kids.

The other hubby mentioned in a serious moment that I may not have realised how much work they would be when they were older when I had them. Upon reflection, maybe it is situations like this that really have me frustrated lately.

A frizzle describes how I feel, but really it is a type of chicken/chook. Or a bad feather day. Yes, my feathers are ruffled. I am tired, have been sick really for months. Can't breathe properly, it is hot. But, really I want a holiday, and we have had two where hubby works on the house nearly all the time, though this time he helps me out in the mornings. Last January and this January, I have had had extra kids in and out of my house. Last year, they had other places to go by this time last year, but I was in a worse frizzle!!! As I was saying a holiday, with my kids, where my husband still works, which is work in itself. It is difficult enough not feeling 100% with no airconditioning.

This is where I fail BC101. Wouldn't you like it when the other parents take one child off your hands for awhile? Well no. It is a personal preference. I am not suited to small towns, though in our old town we had a large front yard and the kids invited themselves over. Eventually the kids stayed home. Prior to this we had a house that was more isolated and I enjoyed playing with my own kids in the shady backyard.

When you live on one income, like at the beginning of our marriage we were very interdependent on our friends. We feel now that we would rather work hard and be more dependent on ourselves. I feel that it part of being grown up. Of course there are times when you do need a hand.

Having older children I can manage looking after them pretty well.

Do you feel suspicious sometimes, when you hear from your child that a parent wants to go to the Races, a concert etc. etc.? If you don't go to the Races, concerts yourself, how do you feel or what do you use to decide if you should enable others to go? I know it seems a stupid question.