Yesterday, I had to meet with peeps from the Fairfax County School system - an "eligibility meeting" to get Charlie admitted to the preschool program they have for developmentally challenged kids. I put quotes around "eligibility meeting" because it was pretty much a formality, I think. When he was tested in December, he was still months behind in all of the areas they measure, so our therapist said he was a shoo in (shoe in?). They were right; he qualified. Our little guy starts school on September 7! It's amazing to think that he's going to go to school so soon. He’s still so little! They even have a school bus that will come pick him up at our house if we want. I don't know, though, something about my 2 1/2 year old strapping on his backpack and marching out to the bus freaks me out. I think we will be using the "kiss-n-ride" carpool line instead.
Anyway, the point of this post is not that Charlie got into school, as exciting as that is, but that because I needed to attend a meeting in Fairfax County at 11:20, I worked from home for the day. Pamela and Charlie left around 9:30 or so to go out and play and didn’t come home until naptime, so we weren’t here together very long. But before they left, they were downstairs playing in the basement. I was up in the dining room working, but I could hear them from time to time. I kept hearing her say, “Wow, Charlie” or “Good boy, Charlie” or “Show me how you can turn around, Charlie” and I could hear in the tone of her voice how proud she was of him, and how hard she’s working to teach him things.
In a perfect world, I would not be gone from my house 60 hours a week. I would work maybe 30 hours a week, and have more time at home with my baby. I would take him to story hour at the library and for play dates at the park and to Sullivan’s house. (Sullivan is his best buddy. I have never met Sullivan – or Sullivan’s parents.) I would get him up and dressed each morning, instead of leaving the house before he’s awake.
Unfortunately working less isn’t in the cards right now. Have you heard? DC is expensive! So while I have regrets and guilt about how much time I spend away from him (as I’m sure most work-outside-the-home moms do), I don’t have any guilt about who I leave him with. Pamela loves him, engages him, and teaches him so many things. And he LOVES her! And that is the best mother’s day gift ever.
2 comments:
You have such a beautiful perspective, Marie. There's so much joy to be found, even in the hard things! Thank you for sharing!!
Isn't it so reassuring to know that there's another person in the world who loves your kid absolutely? I've always felt that that can only be a good thing. Working from home, I get to overhear our nanny with the kids all the time--that did so much to ease my conscience in the early days!
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