Don't get me wrong. I love our new house. I miss Michigan though. I miss being a hour away from Lake Michigan, and two hours away from fantastic fishing and rows of pine trees. I'm a Northern Michigan girl at heart. We are planning on doing some camping in July, but I'm craving the Great Lakes now!
I'd take the Saginaw Bay, and walleye fishing. Really I would. The river here is just not the same.
We have two new rats coming today. I made the mistake of getting on Craigslist the other day, and there they were! Maude needed friends anyway. They will be here in an hour and half or so. The lady tried to give me a rabbit as well. Um, no thanks!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Talkin Bout My Generation
Until recently I did not know that our generation was called the millennial generation. I don't know how I missed it. I suppose it is because I was too busy living it. I was recently listening to NPR, and they were discussing exactly what we were all about. I found myself nodding along with what they were saying in every way. We worry about being green, human rights, balancing our limited check books, and the biggest of all is raising our families.
Now, I am an AP parent, and I suppose to some that seems just out right crazy. Time magazine and even Parenting shake their heads in confusion. Why on earth would we want to spend hours as mothers breastfeeding our kids, and staying home with a baby wrapped in fabric on our chests? Their are feminists out there that say we are taking major steps back for all women kind. I have to say though that I disagree.
I was raised by a mother that worked. She kissed me soundly, told me I could anything I wanted to be, and then went off to work. I was a latch key kid. Not that it hurt me. I didn't get cupcakes or cookies for my birthday treat unless they were store bought, but honestly I wasn't alone. Our mom's were busy charging forward, so that we could get fantastic educations. For many of us, we at least tried the college thing. We are definitely a generation that knows how to lead, and we do it with gusto! We aren't afraid to speak our minds, find facts to back up our opinions, and then we have a huge stage to proclaim ourselves. Our parents taught us so much about grabbing life by the horns. It's too bad they shake their heads when we do.
I stay home with my kids. I stay home not because I'm the woman, and I should. I stay home, because family is important to us. Not every job affords you the ability to come home when your kids are sick, or do the million other things that children need in order to thrive. We live two and half to five hours away from family in order for my husband to make a good income with a family friendly company. If however, I somehow found a fantastic job that meant we could have the same life or better my husband would quit his job and stay home. He would not feel like less of a man, because he is home with the kids. Being home with the kids has everything to do with our dedication to them, and nothing to do with us.
Of course, there are mothers of our generation that work. I would never say that they are not great mothers, but they are excising their right to work. That's great! Some of them are even A.P. moms. You can bet that many of our generation of parents strive for jobs that allow them the ability to put their families first. In fact many companies are finding that if they want to keep employees they must cater to this demand. I would also say that I know many parents of both sexes of our generation that work part time, or from home in order to make sure they can spend more time with their children. Even if it means a loss of possible income. I know that sometimes that seems crazy, but we all watched our parents work like dogs all these years only to have their portfolios tank in the last ten years. Money is not nearly as important to us as a steady life with happy families. We'll take the smaller rental house, one car, and decent health care thank you very much!
I can see where it looks like we are going backwards, but the fight is just different. Our grandmothers fought to be treated like they counted. Our mothers fought to be treated like equals. We fight for the right to stay home or go to work while never leaving our family sitting at home waiting for us. That was something that many our parents had to do in order to be successful. A woman today should have the right to rule the world! While breastfeeding her baby, and helping an older child with homework. The only thing holding her back is the pushy adult that doesn't understand how to take turns! Or if she wants she should have the right to stay home, and raise her kids without feeling like a free loader or treated like she is stupid. Somewhere along the lines our right to stay home if we wanted was lost. Not wanting to work and making the decision to stay home is very different from being submissive to your husband. In many ways I feel that by staying home I feel that I am the head of our household. I balance the household accounts. I clean the house. I do all of the research on most matters, and generally make the decisions on things. I was raised by a free thinking mother, and I made the decision to stay home to raise well rounded kids. I am a stay at home mom not a house wife. I am also a trained birth doula, and plan to continue my education. When my kids leave the nest in 16ish years I will continue to do work that I love, and feel the my life is fulfilling. Perhaps we won't totally find the balance, but I do believe our generation is the closest yet.
Now, I am an AP parent, and I suppose to some that seems just out right crazy. Time magazine and even Parenting shake their heads in confusion. Why on earth would we want to spend hours as mothers breastfeeding our kids, and staying home with a baby wrapped in fabric on our chests? Their are feminists out there that say we are taking major steps back for all women kind. I have to say though that I disagree.
I was raised by a mother that worked. She kissed me soundly, told me I could anything I wanted to be, and then went off to work. I was a latch key kid. Not that it hurt me. I didn't get cupcakes or cookies for my birthday treat unless they were store bought, but honestly I wasn't alone. Our mom's were busy charging forward, so that we could get fantastic educations. For many of us, we at least tried the college thing. We are definitely a generation that knows how to lead, and we do it with gusto! We aren't afraid to speak our minds, find facts to back up our opinions, and then we have a huge stage to proclaim ourselves. Our parents taught us so much about grabbing life by the horns. It's too bad they shake their heads when we do.
I stay home with my kids. I stay home not because I'm the woman, and I should. I stay home, because family is important to us. Not every job affords you the ability to come home when your kids are sick, or do the million other things that children need in order to thrive. We live two and half to five hours away from family in order for my husband to make a good income with a family friendly company. If however, I somehow found a fantastic job that meant we could have the same life or better my husband would quit his job and stay home. He would not feel like less of a man, because he is home with the kids. Being home with the kids has everything to do with our dedication to them, and nothing to do with us.
Of course, there are mothers of our generation that work. I would never say that they are not great mothers, but they are excising their right to work. That's great! Some of them are even A.P. moms. You can bet that many of our generation of parents strive for jobs that allow them the ability to put their families first. In fact many companies are finding that if they want to keep employees they must cater to this demand. I would also say that I know many parents of both sexes of our generation that work part time, or from home in order to make sure they can spend more time with their children. Even if it means a loss of possible income. I know that sometimes that seems crazy, but we all watched our parents work like dogs all these years only to have their portfolios tank in the last ten years. Money is not nearly as important to us as a steady life with happy families. We'll take the smaller rental house, one car, and decent health care thank you very much!
I can see where it looks like we are going backwards, but the fight is just different. Our grandmothers fought to be treated like they counted. Our mothers fought to be treated like equals. We fight for the right to stay home or go to work while never leaving our family sitting at home waiting for us. That was something that many our parents had to do in order to be successful. A woman today should have the right to rule the world! While breastfeeding her baby, and helping an older child with homework. The only thing holding her back is the pushy adult that doesn't understand how to take turns! Or if she wants she should have the right to stay home, and raise her kids without feeling like a free loader or treated like she is stupid. Somewhere along the lines our right to stay home if we wanted was lost. Not wanting to work and making the decision to stay home is very different from being submissive to your husband. In many ways I feel that by staying home I feel that I am the head of our household. I balance the household accounts. I clean the house. I do all of the research on most matters, and generally make the decisions on things. I was raised by a free thinking mother, and I made the decision to stay home to raise well rounded kids. I am a stay at home mom not a house wife. I am also a trained birth doula, and plan to continue my education. When my kids leave the nest in 16ish years I will continue to do work that I love, and feel the my life is fulfilling. Perhaps we won't totally find the balance, but I do believe our generation is the closest yet.
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