A friend of mine will be speaking to a local MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) in upcoming weeks. I am hoping to go support her, though I have never been to a MOPS meeting before. It just occurred to me, that I have been in the Mother of a Preschooler stage of life for 14 years. I have always had a little one at home. Next year, barring any unforeseen pregnancies or adoptions, will be my very first year as a Mom to all school aged children. Granted, two of those school age children will be in High School, which is kind of funny in itself. Two kids in elementary, two in high school. I have mentioned before that given this long stretch, and the learning that occurred along the way, I am a different mother to my 4 year old, than I was to my 14 year old (at age 4). I am less fussy. Unfortunately for him, I care less about having him dressed super cute all of the time. I realise that jeans get holey knees, and t-shirts get stains, big whoop. I have to focus on the big stuff just to keep my head above water around here, no time to sweat minutia. If he eats yogurt three meals a day because everything else is "eeewwey", I still introduce other foods, but he won't be sitting at the dinner table for two hours facing down a plate of cooked carrots (like my oldest boys did). Call it unfair, and I know when they are adults they will argue about it at the Thanksgiving table. "Nick had it so easy....." To that I say, Boo Hoo my loves. I love you all more than I can say, but I have to choose my battles. One has to account for the energy required to handle teen-aged angst, while handling the crazy toddler years, simultaneously. Life is good, and I feel incredibly blessed, and a little tired. :)
I enter this new week a little tired, but smiling. Why? No drama this weekend. We had sunshine, and sports, and cuddle time--- less the drama. Most families don't experience the intense level of emotions that the Rhodes clan does. Sure, they have the hectic life of families, perhaps some fighting, the normal mess--- perhaps a little teen hormone induced drama....but we have drama of a different kind in our house. The kind of drama caused by a brain that is shooting off crazy chemicals induced by years of trauma. When our son Victor is home, the whole world is a great big land mine. Saying the wrong thing, calling him out on behavior, or even suggesting that he not eat a 4th serving of ice cream can cause the the peace to recede, and for chaos to ensue. He is now in a boarding school for kids with emotional issues. As sad as it is that our family isn't all together--- I must admit that the peace in our household is a welcome blessing. We are learning more and more
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