I have three children. Boys. 6, 4 1/2, amd 1 1/2. I was 19 when I had my first. I finished school, I know have a teaching degree and a pyschology degree. I intened on using both when the baby is in school. We run a business, and my husband works full time. I home school my middle he's on a first grade level. I also run my house, cook meals (though not as eleborate as yours) and do all of that that comes with it. We go to the YMCA daily, play group two times a week, mom to mom once a week, karate, the gym for me, church on sunday. Of course there are the occassional days that are a bit exhausting, but only physically because I'm always going. I can say that if you always give your needs for theirs, that won't be good. There is a balance, it just needs to be found. For me personally, I can't ever say I ever had a day that I felt like telling people that having kids was a million times the work of a few cats. But maybe that's me.