9 to 5

I had an older friend who once told me that she and her husband had agreed to not have children if it wasn't possible for her to be a stay at home mom.  They both came from large families so there were always plenty of nieces and nephews to love as their own.  And this worked for them.

As for me, I don't think I could have made that decision.  To chose between having or not having children based on who was caring for them during the day would have broken my heart.  I would have loved it if I could stay home but I know Paul and I would be better able to provide for them if I went back to work.  So Monday was my first day back.

Let's face it, even if you live on the bare necessities, it still costs a lot to keep food on the table and a roof over your head.  Then toss in some children and it becomes a whole new ball game.  Although daycare is't free, most families would agree that it still makes more financial sense for both parents to work.

Of course it's not all about money.  There's the social aspect of it.  Pauly loves playing with other kids and now has another little boy his own age to play with every day.  Riley was a little more timid and very attached to me and has adapted surprisingly well over the last two weeks.  She has definitely come out of her shell.

Then there's routine, which wasn't always the case while I was home.  Snack time, lunch and naps were pretty much on schedule, but there were days where I had too much to catch up on so the outings and fun activities were almost non-existent.  At daycare there's always a theme and corresponding activities, indoors and out.

So as the days go by I'm left reminiscing.  No more afternoon naps (when I got a chance), no more lounging in PJ's on rainy days and no more walks in the park on sunny afternoons.