I actually had 6 kids and so this meant that I had a least one child at home at all times for 17 years straight. i also had one of those babies that the doctors told me that I wouldn't be able to take care of much past the age of 5. When he went to preschool at 4 I cried and cried and cried some more, when he left for college in anothe state (a computer geek college with scholarships from IBM paying his way) i cried and cried and cried some more, now 4 years later I still cry occasionally when I think about all of my kids being gone, but thank goodness I have grandkids to come and stay and I really am enjoying my life.