So yesterday was shopping day.  I packed up all the kids and trekked out to the local Winco.  Normally, this store is packed, but if you go in the middle of the day on a weekday, you’ll encounter minimal crowds.  Anyhow, I’m pushing the cart, and my kids are trailing along behind me, one of them pushing Sophie’s carseat/stroller.  As you can imagine, one mommy + shopping cart + four kids + baby stroller = quite the parade.

In the cereal aisle, my kids reveal they have to go to the bathroom, so three of them go while one stays behind to push the stroller.  When the three come back, the other one leaves to go to the bathroom herself.  While she’s gone, we’re perusing the meat aisle when a woman approaches me.

“Are these all your kids?” she asks (a question I frequently get – I seriously doubt I’d take day care kids out with me shopping, but oh well.  )

“Yes,” I say.

“They’re very well behaved.  I want to congratulate you on that.”

“Thank you,” I say (a compliment DH and I frequently get since we don’t let our kids run amok yelling & screaming.)

She goes on to say, “You’ve really restored my faith in today’s family.”

“Wow,” I say, a little flustered.  “Thank you, they’re good kids.”

“Is today a day off of school or something like that?” she asks.

“Oh no, I homeschool them.”

The lady puts her hand on her chest and swoons (I kid you not lol) and says, “Thank you for that! How wonderful.”

I almost said, “You’re welcome,” but I thought it would be weird to accept thanks for schooling my own children.  Heh.  Therefore, I said, “Well, it was a decision their father and I made before we even had any kids.”

She moved like she wanted to hug me, but held herself back because I’m a total stranger to her.  At this point, my oldest daughter comes back from the bathroom and the lady’s eyes widen.  She says, “You have this one TOO?!?”

“Yup,” I say, “I have five kids!”

“You should be so proud.”

“Oh, I am,” I reply with a giant grin.

“Beautiful family.”

“Thank you so much!”

I’m telling you, folks, it doesn’t take a lot to have good kids these days.  We’ve all seen families in public who have visible problems with keeping their children in line or under control.  It seems this has become the rule rather than the exception.  And how sad is that?  My hubby and I have seriously thought about writing a book on parenting.  Our own skills come from a few sources, so I’m not sure how “fresh” our ideas would be, as we’ve employed others’ ideas.

Most of our knowledge in childrearing comes from two books called “Baby Wise” and “Child Wise”.  If you’re tearing your hair out with regards to your children, you might want to pick those up and give them a read.

Seriously, though, all of our friends are more than happy to babysit our kids if the need arises because they’re such a joy to watch.  Whenever we go into a restaurant, the patrons LITERALLY roll their eyes or sigh and look away because of the sheer numbers of kids tagging along behind us.  When these same people are ready to leave, more often than not they approach our table and comment on how well-behaved our children are.  For us, it’s a normal thing.  We go in, we sit down, we eat.  What’s so hard about that?  Apparently, today’s parents struggle with this.

No, DH and I are not “lucky” five times over.  We hear this so often, it actually makes us kind of angry at times.  It’s not luck, folks.  Anyone’s kids can be good kids.  It just takes commitment on behalf of the parent.  We are NOT lucky.  We’ve worked hard to have good kids.  And it shows.

People look at me and think I’m crazy for wanting to stay home and school my kids all day every day.  Well, when your child isn’t a little hellion, they’re an actual joy to be around!  Sure, we have our share of drama.  They’re still “kids” after all.  Hopefully, we’re teaching them the proper way to deal with these dramas rather than throwing themselves upon the floor of the local Safeway thrashing about like a fish out of water.  LOL

Simone, Levi, Hannah, Miriam

I love my kids.  And the best thing about all this?  My baby Sophie is an ANGEL.  No unnecessary squawking, sleeping through the night, and 1000 watt smiles.  It would seem she’s on the fast track to being another “luck of the draw”. 

Sophie

~~Becka