Naptime!

I always thought it was interesting there are more crimes when it is hot out and I guess I can see why that is.  With the temp at 96 and it feeling like 110, Facebook is littered with moms talking about how their kids are driving them batty, people are posting grumpy statuses about how their significant other/friend/neighbor/et al is driving them insane.  Yep, after looking at these sorts of statuses, it is clear that when the temp goes up, tempers flare. 

Our house is no exception.  Owen has been grumpier than usual and has been taking his frustrations out Gavin.  That's making Gavin whiny and me just downright mad because I don't like whining and I like grumpy even less.  Our poor dog is ticked off at the world because he can't run around outside like usual and he can't go on as many car rides.  He gives me this look like I'm intentionally torturing him by keeping him inside.

So what's a mom to do when it is clear her whole family needs space?  She declares NAPTIME for all animals and children!

Gav fell asleep on the couch.  Don't be fooled by the sweet face.  

Alfie hid in his bed and kept giving me The Look. 

Owen was banished to his room and curled up on his bed.

And what did I do while they are all in their separate corners?  I read the newspaper and washed some dishes.  I even used the restroom without anyone banging on the door to tattle!  You know it has to be bad when you're celebrating a moment like that.  Still, I wouldn't trade this heat for anything! 

Chores

I’m annoyed by people more than usual today. No, it isn’t a raging case of PMS causing it. I’m increasingly frustrated by how our society treats our older generations. My mom is no spring chicken at 74 and has had her share of health issues in the past five years. I’ve lost track of how many hospital stays she has had, how many episodes of pneumonia she has suffered through, and the number of chemo-lite treatments she had which rendered her so sick it made us wonder if it was a worth it given its toll on her quality of life. She’s pretty much homebound since she can’t drive and is at the mercy of others when it comes to going places. Going places isn’t easy, as she is limited to being gone for the amount of oxygen her portable tank will hold.
Last week, I took my mom to an appointment and I left it madder than I have been in forever. A mother and her two sons entered the building ahead of us. The boys were teenagers and didn’t bother to hold the door. I’m working on teaching my boys to open and hold doors for others because that’s just the polite thing to do. Then, as we waited in line, the two boys took the only two available seats. I looked on it amazement and the mother made eye contact with me, then shrugged her shoulders as if to say “Boys will be boys. What can I do?” Again, my boys know Grandma or anyone that is older gets the available seat, not them. As I watched the boys while we waited, they never offered their mom a seat and when we left our appointment an hour later, she was still standing and they were sprawled out blocking the walkway. I can only assume they never even asked her if she wanted to sit. Rather than let my mom trip over their feet, I walked ahead of her and gave them the Teacher Look (you know the one that pierces your soul) until they sat up and moved their Jordans out of the aisle. I looked back at the mom afterwards and she wouldn’t make eye contact. I’m fairly certain it was because she realized their behavior wasn’t up to social snuff.

Then I arrived home and started to think about how many children, little or grown, actually help their parents. Seriously? Our boys know they have chores at our house and while they may not like them, they do them. When they can help us at my mom’s they do that as well. Why? Because it is the right thing to do.

My mom doesn’t like to ask for help from anyone, but will accept it if offered. We take care of her trash, her lawn, and her flowerbeds. We take her to any appointments we can and shop for any gifts or cards that need bought. We’ve gone grocery shopping for her and taken her McDonald’s when she was craving a fish sandwich with fries. If I see a crochet pattern or yarn she might like, I buy it “just because.” The boys are forever on the lookout for turtle things, because “grandma loves turtles.” We pick her up and take her home from parties at our house and make sure she gets to attend all the programs at the boys’ schools. We do all these things so that she feels included. Is it work? Yes. Is it worth it? HELL YES. I know my boys are watching and that we are showing them how a child should treat their parents.

As I think back to the teenage boys last week, I can’t help but be sad for the mom. I wonder who will do things for her when she needs help. For some reason, I think she’s going to be like so many older adults I know. She’ll have children that put themselves first and never notice when she needs help.