The Roller Coaster

There are hard days sometimes. Some days both kids are wailing and screaming and throwing epic tantrums in the grocery store resulting in numerous pitying (and annoyed) looks from fellow shoppers.

Sometimes stress gets me in its clutches. The kids are sick, it's snowing and cold and there's no place to take them to get their energy out. They whine, cling, scream, vomit, poop, smear food, pull on and demand from you every ounce of your being somedays. Some weeks. It can be hard. Sure, sure, you might say, you get to stay home! Who wouldn't give their lower wisdom tooth to be able to do that? You get to play all day happily with your children! How dare you complain! I have to go to work and make money! Ah yes. Now, when I was working as a professional archaeologist, it was practically a sport to bitch about your job. We loved to complain. Too hot. Bugs. Tired. Stupid clients. Stupid permitting office. Stupid biologists thinking they're better than us.

But really. This parenting stuff is harder. Being on call and in demand 24/7 is harder. But also far, far, far more rewarding. Though, somewhere in the land of parenting, if you are fortunate enough to stay at home with your kids, you'd best shut yer' mouth about anything about it that might be stressful because you have the golden opportunity! When did it occur that the one job you don't get paid for is the only one you can't complain about from time to time? I mean, when I was working as an archaeologist, no one said, "well, why don't you quit?".

Of course I don't want to quit parenting. When the kids are testing me to my limits, that's sometimes when I find that little piece of me that is the strongest. And we get through the meltdown, the poor sleep, the ear infection, the hunger strike. When we're at our lowest, I KNOW we are headed up to the top soon. I wouldn't get off this ride if you paid me.