Children and privacy: Introducing Huey, Dewey, and Louie
I have worked online for more than 10 years. Before that, I wrote for a weekly newspaper. I love having my work “out there” for others to read, so I’m not overly concerned about my privacy. Having a readership requires some level of exposure. I have a Twitter account that is open for anyone to follow. I have a blog, and I have a (now inactive) Facebook account…. Yes, inactive.
I’m sure you’ve heard about the controversy surrounding Facebook’s privacy policies and functionality. Essentially, there is no privacy. Really, that’s ok by me. The problem I have is the fact that there’s the illusion of privacy, and I have acted accordingly. I am now going through my profile and deleting pictures of my children and personal information that can be used to find them. I’m not overly concerned about my own privacy. By choice, I have made myself public. But I am concerned over my childrens’ privacy. For that reason, I’ve decided to call them Huey, Dewey, and Louie when referring to them in a public forum. (Thanks to hubby for this idea. I was going to call them No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, but didn’t like the connotations.)
That said, here’s a little background on Huey, Dewey, and Louie — the central force behind this blog. Because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be a work-at-home mom!
Huey — Huey is the oldest at five-years-old. She loves dinosaurs and reading. She’s incredibly bright and if she’s not busy, she’s causing trouble.
Dewey — The middle child at age three, and a spit-fire of a little girl. Dewey is stubborn and sweet. The family clown, she boasts a great sense of humor.
Louie — Our easy-going baby boy. Hardly ever cries and is generally content with whatever life hands him. He smiles easily, loves to cuddle, and adores his sisters.
A Mother’s Day gift for a work-at-home mom
What do you give a work-at-home mom for Mother’s Day? I can really only think of one thing that I want: time*.
I want time to sleep in when none of the kids need me or is doing something I would be sorry to miss.
I want time to catch up on their baby books.
I want time to call each of my girlfriends and have a long chat.
I want time to finish cross-stitching Alexandra’s Christmas stocking so that I can start Harrison’s with enough time to finish it before the holidays.
I want time to play and lose a game of Go to my husband.
Not doable? Then I’ll take a typical crazy Sunday preparing for another school/work week with the people I love the most.
*Yes, I’m writing about time again. The next post will be about something entirely different. I promise.
The place to be on a Sunday night
I’m not a huge fan of the grocery store, and am perfectly happy sending the hubby armed with a list and a budget. Two weeks ago neither one of us wanted to go and we put it off until Sunday. Reluctantly, I agreed to go after the kids were in bed.
I know there are certain times of the day when the store is less crowded. Weekday mornings, for example, are more tolerable than a Saturday afternoon. There are still people in the store though — stay-at-home parents and retirees, from what I can tell. Regardless, I still find myself becoming impatient and annoyed (my deficiency, not theirs).
Here’s the wonderful thing about shopping on Sunday night: I probably saw half a dozen other shoppers — at most! And they were college kids who didn’t linger in the middle of the aisle contemplating the price or nutrition value of cereal. They were having to move around me and my cart! It was fantastic! I could linger as long as I wanted in silence or zip down the aisle like a maniac. I did both because I could. I got the shopping done in record time, while enjoying some peace and quiet.
Ah, but shopping on a Sunday night isn’t without its disadvantage. Both weeks I’ve done this I’ve come home with junk food. I’m not hungry when I leave to go shopping, but apparently I am ready for a snack … or two. Still, it’s worth it simply for the time I’m saving getting through the store and standing in line. And nobody around here seems to mind.
Addicted to exercise — finally!
For all my adult life I’ve wondered how people could be addicted to aerobic exercise and how wonderful that must be. Well, no more!
I had one hell of a week last week when it should have been pleasurable. It was my first full week working days, and I had a relatively light workload so not only did I have nights off, but I was able to join the kids on some of their activities. Friday was also my birthday and I was spoiled as soon as the day began (with breakfast in bed). But, alas, I felt like crap. I was stressed, grumpy, couldn’t sleep, and had a day-long headache on Friday.
After a good cry last night — which helped relieve some pent up angst — I felt considerably better, but still not quite myself. I had failed to get to the Y all week to exercise so I resolved to go this morning. It was the best thing I did all week. I feel great. Like a new — and improved — person.
I’m chalking up the week’s grumpiness, insomnia, and general lethargy to a lack of exercise. At last it seems my body craves intense aerobic exercise. Now the downside to that is that I’m a bear when I don’t get any.
Crystal abhores a void
So says my husband, and he’s right.
This is my first weekend off in months, and I’m writing (which is what I also do for a living). The two youngest are having nap/quiet time, and the oldest is playing outside. I could do almost anything right now, and the feeling is overwhelming. So many possibilities! I have a huge mental list of projects I want to tackle.
During these few quiet minutes I’ve chosen to finally launch my “mommy blog,” something I’ve thought about for awhile but simply didn’t have the time to nurture. With dedicated time to work during the day, I now have the time and energy to run a second blog during my new void. My goal here is to provide insights on how to work from home while raising children, and in the process, learn some lessons myself. Ultimately, I’ve learned to embrace chaos and love it for all its worth — or, that’s what I try to do. So I hope you’ll join me and we can learn from each other.
Ramping up to full time
Today marked a new beginning for my family of five. We are solely self-employed now. Mark is primarily watching the kids during the day (while doing some writing and marketing on the side), while I work full-time as a freelance technical copywriter. I really, truly, couldn’t be any happier. I’ve always wanted to be a mom, a writer, and a business owner. I’m psyched. And curious to see how we all adapt to a new routine.
The kids are used to seeing us both during the day, but a changing of the guard has occurred. I am no longer the primary caregiver during the day, so the girls now have to go to Daddy when they need help, a snack, art supplies, etc. This is a big change for them since even when we are both available, I am their default go-to parent.
For me and Mark, business ownership means more time together in the evenings because I’m working during the day instead of at night. It also means I have more time to myself. More time to grow this blog. To learn to sew. To count my blessings.
