Reply #15: Joan Brunwasser: Building Bridges, Amending HR 550

[EFerrari]

Building Bridges, Amending HR 550 and What I Did Over Winter Break

by Joan Brunwasser

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Building Bridges, Amending HR 550 and What I Did Over Winter Break


I went back to work when my son was entering kindergarten, but with the understanding that when he had school vacations, I would take off, too. It was wrenching enough giving up my stay-at-home-Mom status. Having gone through motherhood once already (or twice, if you count having twins as double) and seeing how fast little ones grow up, I was unwilling to make more compromises than was absolutely necessary.

In the beginning, my son was still young enough to enjoy spending time with his mother. We would use the vacations to go out for lunch, and to the bowling alley, library, movie theater, water parks, or whatever else struck our fancy. I found him a charming companion and cherished our time together. It was such a breeze to care for a singleton after having twins! I reveled in the sense that I was doing something well. With the girls, I had often felt overworked, overwhelmed, and at a huge disadvantage. I was always outnumbered.

Now, my incredibly cute little boy has morphed into a very tall, often mysterious teenager – albeit one who still has many charming moments. While I like to be around in case he wants to spend time with me, the truth of the matter is that he's often more interested in the car that we share. Still, I'm unwilling to give up this tradition. He's a junior in high school, and the clock is ticking. It won't be long before he, too, leaves the nest.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_joan_bru_070110...