Our resident teenager (13 year old son CJ) spent the entire weekend at my parents’ house goofing off with my youngest brother (who happens to be 16 years old).  Having him gone has some rather surprising side effects…

Just the mere act of setting out 5 plates for the kiddos instead of 6 takes some major brain power (crazy huh?)…but then there’s the whole not making too much food idea to contend with. After all as a boy that is growing like a weed, he is my biggest eater (not by much, but for the moment anyway).  So, there were far more leftovers for the weekend.

His absence is very noticeable in lots of little ways…the Twinkies asking often where he is, the other boys asking constantly when he’s coming home, etc.  Makes me wonder what it will be like someday when he’s grown and gone…but I don’t think I’m ready to truly go there and dwell on that thought, so for now I will ignore that notion .

Now, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression and think that my children get along so well they can’t stand the thought of being apart…I truly wish that was the case.  So I’m always surprised that, particularly the older boys, are bothered by one another’s absence.  The oldest four don’t get along all that well, there is much bantering, arguing, wrestling and general discontent with one another on a daily (hourly?) basis.

CJ and Lion (the 5 year old) would get along fine…except that Lion shows his undying devotion by following CJ around everywhere and copying everything he does.  Although that could be considered the highest form of flattery, to a 13 year old it’s just plain annoying.

But despite it all, he is home now and strangely enough, they will all be at odds with one another again tomorrow, but they will be comfortable with that…knowing that everyone is where they belong.  It’s a strange relationship to be sure, and we’re working on the relationships part with them daily, but when it comes down to it, they know that they love one another and are there for each other when it counts.

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This entry was written by Shera on Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 at 10:30 pm and is filed under Family, In the Brotherhood, Life As A Mom, Mommy Reality, Motherhood, Parenting, The Frogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.