Christmas Vacation with Teens

I love my children, really I do, but three weeks of them is sure to drive me crazy.

Let me explain a little more. I have social anxiety, for those who do not know, social anxiety is condition that causes the sufferer to feel extreme discomfort in social situation. In my case situations of three or more and on occasion two, one of them is me.Because of this I don't get a lot of call backs for jobs, so I spend a lot of time at home.

My Daughter is 13 years old as of last month, she has extreme PMS and her mouth has been know to travel at excessive speeds. She even talks in her sleep. She has Attention deficit Hyperactive disorder (A.D.H.D).

My son is 12 years old as of last month. He has been compared to Einstein by more than one specialist. He likes to take a screw driver to mechanical and electronic items in the house to gain part for whatever project he has running through his head. He ignores everyone for the most part. The same specialists have also said that he has Attention deficit disorder (A.D.D.), I don't see it, if anything he seems to focus on what he is doing too much. Another strange fact about my son is that he only eats finger foods, with the exception of spaghetti, if it cant be eaten with his fingers, he won't eat it.

Too add to this joyfully bunch I must also mention that we have a cat and a new puppy. The cat recently got hit by a car and had to lose his tail. He still haves two weeks left to be closely watch and we are trying to keep him inside. The puppy is nine weeks old and in the middle of potty training lessons (oh, joy!). She chews on everything and steals shoes.

December 18, 2006,

5:00 a.m.

The school has started a new bus schedule this year where they pick them up separately instead of together like last year. So it is time to get my daughter up and take out the dog.

The girl is reluctant, and the dog is ready to go. Unfortunately for me, i can only find a left tennis shoe, a right thong, and no boots, i wonder who has the rest? I take her outside anyway and smoke a cigarette while I'm waiting on her to do her 'doody'.

5:30 a.m.

Dog is in, girl is awake (ish). I go for coffee and discover the dog leaving a present by the kitchen door (it's not wrapped).

I clean up just in time for the puddle by the front door, the pile by my daughter's room, the puddle by my sons, and the pile just added to the bathroom. If she was holding all that, why didn't she go outside when i took her?

6:00 a.m.

My daughter is up and dressed, time to wake the boy. Awww..... hell.... another puddle, this one in front of my mother-in-laws room. I rouse the boy and take the dog out... again.

6:30 a.m.

My Daughter is off to the bus stop, my son can't find jeans, his shoes, or his back pack. Oomph... tripped over a missing boot.

7:00 a.m.

My son is off to the bus, and the dog is trying to chew up the other missing boot.
..........

As soon as they get home from school vacation for them has started, and my nightmare begins (*sigh*). I sent this e-mail to my sisters:

------------

I sat in stock still, maybe they would forget about it.

No, they would remember something like this, I thought.

Sure enough they came through the door.

I began to sweat, my heart began to pound.

They approached me with that gleeful look in their eyes.

Why do they do this to me, my torturers?

As i watched them approach, the terror building, my heart begins to pound.

I itch to run and hide, but I cannot, I am paralyzed by fear.

The look of pain must have crossed over my face for they hesitated for just a second........

Then the female one gives me a sly look and grinned. Then she says................

"Get a grip, mom.......... it's only Christmas Break".

Merry Christmas!
__________________________

Having teens of their own, they offered their condolences. No advise just condolences.

Today is the start of their vacation, the Fire Dept. Dinner, and I have to hand deliver to a few of my customers, there is a lot of sighing going on around here.

3:30 p.m.

Their home. They came in the door the usual way, arguing. Not abnormal for siblings, but it nerve wracking for any adult, you know they will eventually ask you to mediate in the form of agreeing with whomever asked first. My natural response is to hide. I told them to clean there rooms. They go but they aren't really going to clean, we all know it.

4:00 p.m.

I leave them with my husband to deliver my goods to my customers. Who as it turns out are not home yet. I left them alone for 15 minutes. When I return home it is to discover a puddle in the hallway, my son and husband are rough housing again and my daughter is playing her recorder in the house. between notes she is trying to tell me about some boy at school who looks like some actor or singer who is just 'soooo cute'. The dog sees my purse strap and starts to chew. And to top it all off the cat has escaped outside by prying open the kitchen window and jumping threw the screen.

5:00 p.m.

I told them to get ready for the Fire dept. dinner. I go back out to deliver my customers merchandise. They are finally home (yippee!).

6:00 p.m.

I take the dog out. Hustle my daughter away from the cake i made for the dinner, and try to help my son find his pants, shoes and shirt.

6:30 p.m.

Time to go to the Fire dept dinner. My son says no way he's too tired. My daughter says "will there be any cute boys"? and my husband has fallen asleep. We somehow manage to get there, god only nows how.

7:00 p.m.

The dinner is starting. One hundred very talkative people (oh..joy!). I can't find my meds. The dinner is buffet style, no finger foods though. The girl is fine, there are more girls here in her age group, but the boy has loaded his plate with two rolls and four cookies, and is later found running after one of the girls with two rolls stuck on a plastic butter knife.

9:30 p.m.

Finally home. Time for them to get ready for bed. The dog left a pile by the front door. The cat is back from his romp outside and ready to return. I take of my shoes to relax and the dog grabs for the right one, i shield it and she gets the left (sigh*).

10:00 p.m.

The girl is already asleep, without being told (how did that happen?). The boy loses two baby teeth in a row and insists he is not tired. I get him a glass to put the teeth in for the tooth fairy and get him into his bed. Lights out!

The end of the day for them, I will still be awake for a while yet, but I finally get some peace and quite. Maybe tomorrow will be calmer.... what do you think?