Monday, May 24, 2010

Is it really that bad?

We have had a lot packed into the last few days as I am currently looking to go back into work as so my little guy has been spending time over at a friends house who is going to be looking after him at some of the points whilst I am working. Part of me feels like I am just going to be missing out on too much but yet I know that it will help him grow in making friends, sharing and other things. Many kids are handed over to daycare from a few months old but my little guy has had over two years with me and now he is getting to hang out with his friend rather than a general daycare.

Now that my little one has passed that magical age of 2 people seem to think that I should be also onto number 2 child. However although I am sure that for a lot of people this will work well and I have seen it so for many of my friends work out well, that glove just isn't going to fit on my hand. I think that maybe some point in the future another child may take part in our lives but for now I am content with just one. I was teaching on Sunday with the Pre k-K class and when it was said that I had only one child one of the kids said that they felt bad for him. I said that I was an only child and so she also felt bad for me too. But is it really that bad to be an only child? Personally I had a very nice childhood. I did get a lot of attention from my mum and my dad because I didn't have to share with anyone, but yet I don't think I was spoiled. I know that we have always met that only child who was spoiled by mummy and daddy and is as selfish as anything but why feel sorry for me? I have grown up knowing nothing else. I had a happy childhood with loving parents. I think that sometimes people have a lot of opinions about only children and why it should not happen which I must confess baffles me. I would never dream of walking up to anyone and telling them that to have more than 6 kids is a silly idea (for those of you that do have more than six. I don't think you are silly) and that you are going to cause you children to not have a good standard of living and that you will never be able to give them the attention they need to be successful and the cost .... well do you know how much a good education costs nowadays. I assume that each family has thought out what they want to do and what is important for them and how it will work out, whether to stop at 4 kids or keep going to 20. Personally I know that I am not one of those people who has a desire to have 6 or more children, but I am also not going to tell you why you should stop at 4, so why is it that people think they should tell those of us with only one child to have more. Ask me the question of are you going to have more and that is fine but you must be willing to accept the answer. You can even ask why I am thinking of only one but don't try and talk me out of the answer as what works for you may not work for me. Children are a blessing from God and I do want as many blessings as I can get however blessings can be other things as well as children. For those of you with large families enjoy them and relish them but know that I also enjoy my family and relish every moment as at the end of they day we all want to be good parents with happy and successful children that will look different for all of us

Thursday, May 6, 2010

When did that happen?

Although many of my friends in the US say that I have a British accent anyone back in the UK would say well I guess it might still be there but it is hiding a little. So when did it happen that I became American or has it not happened yet. In someways I have had to adapt to the new culture I am in. There is no use me asking for a petrol station as all I seem to get is blank stares, so gas is what I now put in my car. And since I had my child in the US he is in diapers rather than nappies and sleep in a crib rather than a cot. But also I have noticed that my way of living has become more like the American. I drive everywhere, granted there are several times during the year that walking would just not work as either it is to cold or to hot and humid, but still why don't I walk on the days I can. The other thing I realised the other day was that I am always using my drier. Now I know that this is a very useful thing to have as, as I stated before drying outside in the cold or humid air doesn't not really help clothes dry, turn them into frozen shirts or even damper jeans depending on the weather yes. But again on those nice days when it is warm with a slight breeze why oh why am I using the drier. I used to love curling up in bed on fresh sheets, the ones that had flapped about outside. I am thinking I might just find that British person who seems to be berried somewhere and get a washing line. I guess also I am starting to view myself as I once viewed Americans as energy, petrol guzzling people without a care. Now before all my friends shot me down I do know this to be different. But still when am I using an item like a drier and a car because it is there or because I need to?