My job as Mom....

I have the job of mom...and I have it over 2 very different ranges both with their joys and frustrations.

I have the job of raising soon to be teenagers...of balancing calendars and poking my nose in to their business and following them online.  Of making sure they are being responsible, it's my job to make sure they can make some meals, wash their clothes when dirty and pick up after themselves.  It's my job to listen to their woes, encourage their discouragements and desires, to nurture them into being self reliant. 

 In many ways they make this easy.  

They can tell me if they are hungry, tired, what they want to eat.  They don't need me to take them potty or make sure that they put their socks on their feet the right way.  They sleep through the night and often go to bed without me telling them too.  It's easy in may ways.  It's like the promised land of parenting.  They can entertain themselves and if its quiet it doesn't turn on my alert memo, it may be that they are playing a game on the DS, reading a book or finding something to do that doesn't make noise...like building with tools or other things.  I also know that I can trust them. They have proven this to me and are proving it on a regular basis.

Then I have my other job as Mom...only here I'm known as MAMA.  

The toddler....I forgot how much work one little person can be.  He cannot entertain himself for longer than 5 minutes and if he is quiet and I can't see him he can often be found drawing on a wall, pulling every single wipe out of the package or every tissue out of the box.  He also enjoys unrolling toilet paper and seeing what can be flushed...gotta remember to keep that door closed.  He is demanding yet doesn't have all the words to tell me what he wants or needs.  If he doesn't get his way he cries or whines and is trying to figure out what is going on.  

He can't dress himself, he wears diapers, and prefers to run around naked!  He has no inhibitions yet!  His favorite word is NO!  He loves to laugh, cry and still doesn't sleep consistently through the night...he is in one word....exhausting!  I love him but WOW!  

It's hard to have toddlers and soon to be teenagers.  Don't get me wrong I love my kids and I wouldn't trade them for anything but being a mom is hard work, being a mom to multiple ages is crazy!