Hairy Household
I wasn't sure where this blog was going to take me...or for that matter, where I was going to take this blog. I have spent an inordinate amount of time over the past few weeks surfing around from blog to blog trying to get a sense of what it is that grabs us by the balls (so to speak) and makes us return again and again, anxious to devour postings made by other people not unlike ourselves.
What is it about looking into the window of other people's lives that so fascinates? For myself, it's a relief to know that I'm not the only mother who occasionally (ok, frequently) asks myself how the hell I got here--two marriages, four kids, two dogs, three cats, and a guinea pig later.
At the risk of bringing down the wrath of mothers everywhere, this life is NOT always magical, fulfilling or exciting. If I could do it all over again would I? To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. My eldest son (15) is on the Autism spectrum, one of the consequences of which, he can not tolerate loud noise or unexpected changes in routine. As you can see from the above list of my life, those things are an integral part of our househo
ld.
When he was small, a strict routine was manageable and even preferable within the family system. Now that he is a much larger teenager, he has become rigid and inflexible. Rules are etched in stone for not only himself, but for everyone around him. There is no such thing as spontaneity for my son and therefore, not so much for the rest of the family either. Along with his fixed ideas has come increasing outbursts of anger and frustration, most of which he directs towards my youngest child Logan who is six.
So things are hairy around our house. I struggle with guilt about Mack and his quirks, Logan getting bullied by his older brother, my two daughters caught in the cross-fire and my husband who tries to maintain objectivity but is finding it increasingly difficult to accept some of Mack's behaviours, especially since he is not Mack's bio-dad.
So there you have it. I hope that some of you can find the time to comment and maybe offer some sage advice. As a mother of four, you would think that I have this thing down pat but motherhood and parenting probably has the steepest learning curve I've ever experienced.
What is it about looking into the window of other people's lives that so fascinates? For myself, it's a relief to know that I'm not the only mother who occasionally (ok, frequently) asks myself how the hell I got here--two marriages, four kids, two dogs, three cats, and a guinea pig later.
At the risk of bringing down the wrath of mothers everywhere, this life is NOT always magical, fulfilling or exciting. If I could do it all over again would I? To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. My eldest son (15) is on the Autism spectrum, one of the consequences of which, he can not tolerate loud noise or unexpected changes in routine. As you can see from the above list of my life, those things are an integral part of our househo
ld.When he was small, a strict routine was manageable and even preferable within the family system. Now that he is a much larger teenager, he has become rigid and inflexible. Rules are etched in stone for not only himself, but for everyone around him. There is no such thing as spontaneity for my son and therefore, not so much for the rest of the family either. Along with his fixed ideas has come increasing outbursts of anger and frustration, most of which he directs towards my youngest child Logan who is six.
So things are hairy around our house. I struggle with guilt about Mack and his quirks, Logan getting bullied by his older brother, my two daughters caught in the cross-fire and my husband who tries to maintain objectivity but is finding it increasingly difficult to accept some of Mack's behaviours, especially since he is not Mack's bio-dad.
So there you have it. I hope that some of you can find the time to comment and maybe offer some sage advice. As a mother of four, you would think that I have this thing down pat but motherhood and parenting probably has the steepest learning curve I've ever experienced.
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