summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

home school....



Notice Kitty Kitten, aka Kettler, or Miss Mix, derived of course from Meow Mix...she prances across the table like she belongs there.

This morning is busy here as some of my teenagers get ready for a trip to Niagara Falls with their big sister Mali. I am taking Jonathan, Char, and Cam, on a little outing to the small city to use their Book It coupons at Pizza Hut, then to the thrift store. I just want to get out and about with them while the sun shines. Not that it's warm, it's now 12 (-1.1C).

Girl drama. You can't have eleven daughters without it. They seem to take turns being difficult. They help each other out, but can be brutally honest too. They go through ups and downs with friends, suffer through misunderstandings and have times when they are certain no one understands what they are going through. I can't be everything to everyone, and sometimes, like right now, I feel like I want a re-do on the whole day. Because...one lovely daughter, at eleven o'clock, declared she had no clean clothes and had to do laundry. She is leaving at noon. A load was already in, so with hands on hips, she exclaimed that she HAD to do laundry! Well. Why in the heck didn't you get up at 8 then, I asked? You seriously think we shouldn't have washed clothes today because we anticipated that you might possibly need to? And I didn't say it nicely. I reacted. And she turned and walked down the hall. She said, "You didn't have to yell at me." So. I tried to talk to her a little while later. She said, "It's okay. You're right, I'm wrong." Whatever. That's not what I was going to say. Because, ha, I WAS right, but that's not the point. It's all in the delivery. I was incredulous, and came off as being way too harsh.

So the daughter drama. Face it, when you have 16 kids, they aren't all going to be thrilled with you at all times.

Camille is curled up in a chair reading, "Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown". Ah, that's the life.

I suppose I should get moving now, out of my comfy chair, and, talk to some daughters, and get going on our adventure.

3 comments:

Martha said...

I missed out on most of the daughter drama. I suppose that's because the daughters are nearly ten years apart in age. Those boys though...They come with a different kind of drama.

16 blessings'mom said...

Soon after I wrote this post, I talked to this daughter, she apologized, I explained myself and apologized, and all was well. I broke my own rules, which are to think before speaking ESPECIALLY with teenage girls, or to just keep my mouth shut. I wish I was one of those nice moms who could just smile calmly and gently answer....But Martha, the boys ARE different. My oldest son gave us a run for our money. Oh boy. phew.

Tereza said...

ha! I can relate to this one…right down to the laundry and hour before she has to leave!