Traveling with the Circus

I have three children, ages 15, 10, and four. You would think that, with the older ones' advanced ages and the number of years between all of them, they would get along with each other and behave better than kids closer in age do.

Not so.

Going anywhere with my kids is akin to traveling with a circus. Surprisingly, the eldest kid is the ringleader.

I put my four year old in the front seat with me and the other two are usually in the back. Together. Conspiring. The oldest thinks it's funny to waggle her eyebrows to people in cars behind us. Or to wear fake bucked teeth and smile really big at them. Or put on a fake mustache and wiggle her top lip. This leaves the middle kid rolling from laughter and determined to get in on the 'fun', too.

So she does...by contorting her face into excruciating expressions, as if she's having some kind of fit. Or blowing kisses to elderly female drivers. Or sticking her tongue out at small kids in other cars to watch their reaction. All the while being egged on by the oldest.

I can't very well turn around and see what they're doing. They have learned to scoot way over to the door on either side to leave a blank space where my rear view mirror would reflect their antics to me. So it's not until the cars that were once behind us, bearing the brunt of their theatrics, are beside me when we stop at the red lights that I realize what all the disgusted looks in my direction and frantic door locking is all about.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm in the middle of a really bad After School Special warning against becoming a parent before you're ready. * sigh *