I think I've mentioned that my boys are away for the month of July, visiting their father who lives several states away. It's good they get to spend time with him and their other half-sister and step-mother. It also makes for a lot of quiet around here, good or bad. I miss them, but hey, quiet is a rare commodity.
Those of you who have in any way experienced blended families or child of divorce, whether you or your children, can probably relate to the following telephone conversation:
"...Okay, K. Can I talk your brother now?"
"Yep, here he is - [not quite whispers or covers the phone] S, DON'T tell Mom about Dad mutter-mutter -"
"I love you, bye, K!"
"Hi Mom!"
"Hi S. Don't tell Mom about Dad what, chuckle?"
"Ne-ne-never mind."
"It's okay, S, what can I do from here?"
"Uh, he's playing [insert name of a violent probably M-rated video game here]."
"Don't worry about it, kiddo. It's okay."
"Okay, bye, Mom." And silence. Check the cellphone screen, yep, he hung up. Obviously he was paying more attention to his father's shoot 'em up digital exploits.
I supposed on one level it's good that K wants to protect his dad from his perception of my perception of something stinky in Denmark, but it does make me wonder what he thinks he'll try to hide from me over the next few teen years....the little sneak. What he doesn't realize is I was a bigger sneak.
It is both encouraging and frightening to remember what we were up to when we were that age. Will it make us better parents? Who knows?
ReplyDeleteI know you must miss them, but I hope you're making the most of the rare peace and quiet.
i agree, lisa. i think the knowledge/experience of youth helps to reasonably keep my eye out with out being overbearing.
ReplyDeletethanks, yes i miss them, and i am enjoying the relative quiet of one toddler learning tantrums versus the houseful of sibling rivalry dialed up to ten.