Mommy flips out!

I flipped out last night. We had had a good day overall, but it was pretty much marked by everyone doing their own things. We brought the motor home to the house to wash it and prep it for a trip over Memorial Day weekend G3 washed it while the boys peripherally helped. Amanda was so sore from the day before that she pretty much was a couch potato on her computer. Grandma went to church then shopping. And I cleaned the chicken coop and then flitted around from person to person making sure they were ok.

By dinner time, I was so irritated. I felt like we were 6 roommates living under one roof but not committed to each other. I finally got everyone to sit down at the table outside together to eat a nice dinner that I had cooked, but the moment Alex was done, he bolted. G4 drifted off to play video games, Amanda played with the dogs and G3 cleaned up the table. Before I knew what was happening, I was sitting alone outside as the sun set getting more irritated by the second.

I marched inside and lo and behold found everyone else downstairs in the family room. G3 and Amanda were each on their own computers, G4 was reading a book, and Alex was cleaning up his room. Even though they were physically in the same place - there was no interaction taking place at all!

I just flipped out and started fussing at everyone! When not one person looked up at me - I really flipped out and started shouting. Finally, Alex came out of his room asking, "Mom ok?" to which I replied, "No, mom NOT ok!" I told everyone that this had to stop. We were a family and had better start acting like one! No more solitary activities unless there had been a family activity first.

G3 started translating for Alex on Google translate and to my utter annoyance, everyone started laughing at me. I did the only thing I could - I picked up a pillow and threw it at G4, who happened to be closest. Then he retaliated by starting a tickle fight, which then degenerated into everyone getting into a free for all tickle fight. And BTW - Alex is the most ticklish kid I have ever seen.

I don't know if anyone will pay attention to me in the future, but at least I felt a little better that we were interacting together. I guess in the end I got what I wanted. But I do realize now that we are going to have to work on it harder. G4 and Amanda have been so accepting of Alex, that they have not gone out of their way to do extra things with him or treat him special. Good I guess in one respect because they are so accepting, but bad in another way that they need to treat him a little special until he is fully integrated.

The language barrier is tough at times, because a lot of the things we do together as a family rely on English - I didn't realize how much until now. So we are going to have to keep working on it and find things. In a way, I wish he was littler, it would be easier I think to play simple games - but teens are  harder to amuse.

Alex is handy around the house though. We developed a massive leak under the sink this morning and me in classic, helpless female style was standing there wringing my hands and putting out towels to mop up the water, when he came upstairs and found me. Immediately he requested a flashlight and tools and 10 minutes later, had tightened a connection that was loose, tightened the whole faucet mechanism and fixed it. That saved a call to the hubby!

He still is a little imp though - this morning school work was not high on the list so he has been trying to circumvent me at every opportunity. I finally had to sit next to him to get him to work! But overall things couldn't be better. I know that I am impatient to get back to normal - whatever that means, but I am going to have to give it a little time. I know it will happen. But in the meantime, send me your suggestions for family activities not based on language, please.