Domestic Zoo Keeper at Large

I wrote this several years ago for a Mississippi Public Broadcasting Commentary. It was not choosen. Now thanks to the blogoshere I can subject ya'll to it anyway. It is a bit dated now as my "princess" is now in second grade and my "pre-teen" drama is now a young man headed into the 11th grade. Zoo keeper still unsure of her role and misses the days of stay-at-home bliss, but for some reason my children won't stay one age!


The Commentary:

People often ask me how I can be a stay at home mom; they generally say it would be so boring. The life of a domestic zoo keeper is anything but boring!

My son just started his first year of junior high and the pre-teen drama is at its peak-it’s like having your own private soap-opera—and yes junior high is just like you remember it! I would say more but at this moment he is turning off every radio within earshot due to the mortifying embarrassment. I definitely will not discuss the years of living in “Dinosaur World” that we endured-we’ll chalk that up to great material for the future writer that devourers more books than food!

On the other end of the spectrum there is my just turned four year old daughter-who generally refers to herself as a princess! There is never a dull moment in the daily world of Edye! I mean how many homes have a stuffed ladybug that is really a kitty named Tenderloin Radish?

In what world, besides that of a four year old could you hear the very true tale of Ralph the Mermaid Snake who has a twin who is a fish? Where else can you learn that things we accept as they are, seem arbitrary to the resident four year old. Like the time Edye was learning her colors and decided that we had just picked Green as our last name and began insisting that she was Edye Purple—she then decided if she could pick her last name why not her first as well and began insisting that her name was Rosie Purple and if you have met her you know that if I introduce her as Edye there is a loud rebuttal-invoking “Rosie—you are supposed to say Rosie!” We won’t even talk about the times she wishes to be called random things such as “Mr. Hammer Grandma”.

Edye has been known to read to any audience from her “Thomas Book”, a blank journal with no words on the page—this became a problem once when she said to my husband-oh, Daddy you read the next part—but luckily Daddy still has a fairly intact imagination!

What gets me through the day—the healthy imaginations that live in my house. How could I ever be bored I spend half my day in another world-a beautiful imaginary place and the other half living in high pre-teen drama! Next year Rosie Purple starts school and the pre-teen will have become a full-fledged teenager. Until then I will live my days in another world- Rosie Purple and high pre-teen drama-their world-and I will cherish every moment! The question is where exactly do I go next year when school begins? What becomes of the Domestic Zookeeper who has no animals?