Well the flurry of Christmas is officially over. Now we are down to taking everything down and tucking it away. I LOVE Christmas and I always miss it when it is gone. I am avoiding taking everything down one more day but am trying to get into some normalcy. My "to-do" list and odd jobs along with errands just keeps getting longer. I blew off EVERYTHING the last week while my parents were here. Where is where the "whew" comes in.
First of all I love to have my parents visits, but I can't think of anything that stresses me out more. I worry that they are bored, I worry that my kids annoy them. I worry that they like living away from us, more than near us. I worry that they think my kids are spoiled, naughty, aloof ALL the time, based on the small snapshot they have while they are here. I worry that they can't wait for the flight back.
The time together is wonderful, but the times of small awkwardness makes the visits just seem odd. It is hard to be older and see your parents in a new light-I shouldn't say both, mostly just one. It is hard to see my children withdraw from them-maybe it is normal at this age I am not sure. And to see my parents not interact with the boys the way they used and I feel sad-is it the desire to, or just an age disconnect-I am not sure. Conversations are sometimes strained, it is downright ucomfortable. I don't like uncomfortable or strained...I feel bad even writing something so "down" after the wonderful holiday. Which it was, I can't imagine it without family, which some of us have to do. I will think about the time together, the board games, cooking and good conversation, because there is that to, and that is what counts. Maybe it is just one of those life transitions that are new-I know because I am 40 maybe:)
4 comments:
I'm feeling all those things here, Cher. I feel like everyone else has a picture-perfect Christmas while we have two kids gone, one surly brat who won't talk to anyone, and in-laws who are bored. Are they bored? Are they hungry? Do they want to stay home today? Do they want to go out today? What should we eat?
AAARRRRRRRGGGGGGG!!!
I have been waiting patiently for you to respond hoping you would have a little insight. I forgot the other two boys were gone-no wonder you have had a monkey on your back!
cher, i also feel very stressed in this situation. i could have written your post. in fact, i could have written it many times but i'm just not as honest as you :) i think that we expect our kids to "perform" when our parents come visit, and that stresses them out as well. i sure don't know the answer. let me know when you figure it out ;)
Carey-Your mom reads your blog, mine doesn't:) No answer here...always good to know someone feels the same. No kid is perfect, or parent for that matter so we just keep plugging away:)
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