Why I love being home alone

It's a gorgeous rainy day and Tyrel is at work. Shannan will be home in a half hour or so, but I have had another lovely day all to myself. You'd think that I'd go crazy cooped up in the house all the time, but when I am all alone with a house full of toys, normal rules no longer apply.

When I am home alone, I can do whatever the heck I want—which usually means that I do what I usually do, just a bit louder and more out in the open. I can watch whatever movie my heart desires, I can bang on the piano for as long as I want as loud as I want (I'm not sure how the neighbors feel about that, but they haven't complained yet), I can read without being disturbed, I can turn on some music and sing full out without feeling stupid, and I can eat chocolate without having to share any—that is, if I dispose of the evidence after I'm done. And when it's raining or snowing outside, I can put my pj bottoms and socks on and cuddle up by a window. Being home alone is awesome.

A lot of parents worry when they leave their teenagers home alone, but my parents never had to worry too much, because we Carters are very unimaginative with the ways we spend our solitary time. Being left home alone while the rest of the family goes out to the movies is most certainly not a punishment; it is something that is sought after. It's no wonder we're all shy—we just like our alone time too much. Even during my teen years, I never even thought of throwing a party or inviting boys over. All I cared about was that rare peace and solitude.

Leaving KIDS home alone is another matter completely, however. My parents are still finding out the kinds of things we did while they were gone, the most extravagant of those being jumping off the roof onto the trampoline and pouring mop water all over the kitchen floor so we could slide around the kitchen. And it wasn't just the younger children that caused all the mischief; I'll admit that I was usually at the head of the mischievous activity. I guess I liked being the boss more than I was willing to admit even to myself.

It all comes down to freedom; when you are all alone, there is no one to laugh at you for wanting to watch a chick flick for the 40th time, no one there to contradict your views, no one there to compete with over the piano, tv, or bathroom. And no one there to tell on you if you do something you don't want anyone to know about. :) And I'm not talking about when you did something you weren't supposed to do—I'm talking about the things you do for innocent fun that no one else would understand.

So here I am, sitting in the dark, with nothing but the hum of the fridge to keep me company. I'll be the first to say that I get a little bit too much pleasure out of this.