The Guilt-Stricken Mom...

People always tell me how lucky I am to balance working from home with raising my kids. It's true -- I am. But those same people would be shocked to learn there are days I can't wait until those same precocious youngsters go to school. Truly and honestly, I find myself thinking, "Thank God, only two more years... "

I've always felt guilty about it. I mean, this is but a very small amount of time in their lives and I want to enjoy every moment. But here's the thing, the word "enjoy" doesn't exactly equate to what I'm feeling as my daughter screams at me across the room because "doggy" fell or my son indignantly informs me he doesn't want to (insert any word of your choosing here, because these days, he doesn't want to do anything.) I often feel perhaps if I could be one or the other - a stay at home mom or a working mom, perhaps I wouldn't feel the way I do.

So imagine my surprise, shock, utter relief to find out that a good SAHM friend of mine feels the SAME WAY and on a daily basis!! She shared with me recently she's counting the days until her young ones can be carted off in that lovely yellow bus. I felt like weeping.

My gift to you today is this -- moms, let's admit there are days we absolutely love being with our kids and other days... not so much. There are times when they light up our world and others when they throw us into such depths of exhaustion we can't see the light. Days when we want to freeze a point in time and hold it always... and then days when we count...and count.. and count the days until we can meet the school bus and the kids become someone else's world for a few hours.