Well, I'm getting my evening on a little better schedule.  Kids were to bed by 6:30 (or very close), finished up my garlic-rosemary chicken and the kids lunch ready for tomorrow by 7:30, workout until 8:00, kitchen clean by 8:30, shower done by 8:50...and now it's time to write. Than I'll have approximately one hour to relax... than it will all be here to do over again tomorrow.

Due to the nature of my work...and my current life, I do a lot of thinking about how us Americans are raising our kids.  I work with kids between the ages of 3 and 5 all day.  One after another.  Than I come home to my two girls who are 2 years old and Mickey, who is 18 months old.  So you can see why this train of thought tends to linger.  I deal with it ALL THE TIME.  It's become a rather fascinating topic to me as my kids have grown from tiny screaming creatures into young ladies and a little man with his own mind.
      
I thought I had it all figured out.  I spent a fair amount of my spare time with my younger cousins (loving every minute of it), than as I got older, babysitting..and than watching my friend's children.  I seemed to have all the necessary qualities for a good caregiver.  Patience, a soft voice, a true interest in teaching, blah blah blah.  Married life with three under 3 has brought out in me, well, these qualities I've mentioned and a few more...less desirable.  It turns out, I was unaware of some pretty important points when it comes to raising well behaved, capable kids.  Who clued me in?  You'll never guess. A man.  My husband.