I don't know, It probably depends more on the person ( the kid, not the parent.)

It seems like our boys did disappear more often for longer period of time though.

SS

boy - 15

girl - 17

Hey, we are an ADD family. When unmedicated, we are the living embodiment of dysfunctional. But, we have more fun together. You have never heard the likes of laughing at bad jokes.

Just hanging out w/ them fills me w/ joy. Sometimes they go to their rooms and hide but they know I'm home w/ them. Since my daughter was 6 or 7, if I offered her a day of undivided attention, what she wanted to do was sit on the couch and read or watch movies w/ me. My son......yeah, we do a lot of the same stuff. We enjoy making meals together. And you have never seen peeps laugh so much at a game of Apples To Apples - especially when we make the dog play as the fourth person.

Bwaaaaahaaaahaaaaaaaaaa................

Yes, AJ was having an identity crisis that day, and "he" didn't even realize it till just now.

Mom could tell a story along the lines of 'fly Littleclueless, fly', only a little less dangerous, fortunately.

They were on the roof to install Grandpa's new satellite dish, which gets 3ABN (3 Angels Broadcasting Network). Great programming 24/7, instead of the garbage he has been trying to watch on the regular satellite. Even after I edited his channels, it seemed he would always find SOMETHING bad, and we all felt guilty, since he's not really cognizant any more to be responsible for making good viewing decisions. The real GP would be horrified at what he was feeding his mind.

So AJ fixed it for him. Now he has TV channels, and also a couple of really good radio channels on the TV, as well. He is happy, we are happy.

And every day the Dervish wants to go up on the roof and wash the skylight windows.

Time to get ready for the teacher meeting, last one of the year, at which all 3 of our boys will pass their grades, thanks to Mom. Someday they will even be grateful.

Cinders:

Think THIS when you envision MY SONS >>>>>> Mimi's Kids

They did not want to "hang" with me as teenagers...

So, what are ya gonna do with them now?

They're COOL ..inside and out... and FASHIONABLE !! What else from children of a Goddess? always had their clothes "matching"...

They both love, love, love their "MOMMY" but don't tell the "chicks" they call me that!!

Mostly I TEXT with and to them throughout the day. They both live in a different city than I do. One in college. One finished college and working.

They both are continuing to work hard on HEALING with their "Daddy"...

good for them.....good for you....good for their daddy

Hi everyone...SS, thanks for asking about me.

I'm still here, I just haven't posted much. I am on all day everyday and follow a few of my favorite threads.

It seems like an eternity since I planted my garden and stuff is just barely up. It has been so cold and rainy all spring that nothing is growing. I have two quackies (aspens) in the yard that haven't even got their leaves yet!!
How is everyone elses gardens doing? Are you having good weather or is it cold also?

We had so much rain over memorial weekend that we didn't do anything outside. I had a house full of company (for graduation) and we were all stuck inside.

Other son (that was in car wreck) is recovering well and about ready to go back to work. He has been working some to fill his time but is ready to go back to his full time job. He hasn't had back pain or any problems for a long time. Insurance is all settled up I think and he is ready to go get a new car again. And the best news, he has 40+ days clean and sober.

So, all is well here. We just finished a really fun job for our business with myself, my two sons and my H. It was great.

Amazing how that works, isn't it, when you get an attentive listener willing to learn from a bad experience. Finest kin'keed, as we Hawaiians might say. Gooh foh heem,he gonna learn someting so bumbye he not be big pupule-head any more, but one smaht fella!
s

I always thought it was poopoo lei-head.

(Neakie-poo)

Hi all... good to see everyone around and catch up with M&L and Mimi as well.

I wish MY men would learn like yours M&L ... different issues yet worries us women folk

Neakie-poo ...****SNORT****

Aussie stumbled out of a pub right into the arms of Father Logan. "Inebriated again!" declared the priest.

"Shame on you! When are you going to straighten out your life? When are you going to spend time with your wife and family?"

"Father," asked Aussie "What causes arthritis?"

"I'll tell you what causes it!" Says Father Logan "Drinking Irish whiskey, gambling and carousing around with loose women in pubs when you should be home................................... How long have you had arthritis?"

"I don't," slurred Auusie. "The Arch Bishop has it, he just bought me a wee drink or two!"

You had BETTER be joking! Neakie-pu...

Aw....

The boys/men around my house are about to drive me crazy! And so is my daughters live-in boyfriend!!

The one that has just graduated has taken to swearing and just looking at me like "whatever..!" Thinks he is real funny. He has a very sarcastic sense of humor anyway and he knows it just pisses me off. He has been in rare form before and since graduation. Time for a job me thinks.

21 yr old/car wreck/sober one....holy cow. He wants so badly to "hang out" with his friends but they are the ones he drank with. He has had 2 close calls over the last 2 weeks and it has made my hair grayer and my nerves raw! He is going to go back to his oilfield job which is a horrible environment for the drinking and drugs. He has a few plans as to how to avoid it, but he is such a gullible one. He has been going to meetings (AA) but will miss a lot of them while he is out of town for work. Not sure how that will work....please say a prayer for him!!

Daughters boyfriend/fiance? likes all the finer things (boy toys) but turns down jobs that pay more than he is making because they are not what he went to school for (they are in the same field, just not exactly what he wants-roll eyes here). Mind you, he missed graduating college for the second year in a row so he doesn't have this degree for the job he is saving himself for....I want DD to just come home to mommy....sigh....I'm afraid she is doomed to a life of she works/stresses about the money while he does whatever....I told her it won't magically get better than this.....I know. She is walking in my shoes almost exactly!!

Boy am I whiny or what? IT IS SNOWING HERE TODAY! Craziness.
The sun is supposed to shine friday and it will last awhile they say!! Just get through today and one more...ahhhhhhh. Gonna get the housework caught up so I can be outside when the sun does come!!

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!



ETA: Well, not currently....I promise not to brag about the joys of an EMPTY NEST...

Mimi...
I have looked forward to an empty nest for a long time, and now that it is fast approaching, I am scared.

DS18 will go to college in the fall, DD22 is gone, but what about my DS21? I don't know about him leaving home. I get so scared for him. I don't want him to go until he has his bearings about him. I am that he would grow up some if he did move out, unless he started to drink and then.....that's what scares me. I want him to get better footing before he leaves. I'm a little concerned that he will just bolt when DS18 goes to college, just so he is not the last one living at home.

And, if H goes back to his winter job out of town I will be here all alone at times. The days get very long when no one comes and goes. I'm not as sure as I was about this empty nest thing!

But you know what? You can brag about it if you want to!! Maybe I will catch on and look forward to it!

I LOVE THE EMPTY NEST but I've always liked being by myself..I'm truly an introvert..I like SOLITUDE..calm and peace and quiet...

When my kids were LITTLE, I "tried" to hide out from them sometimes. They were soo LOUD and NOISY..as is normal...but I'm QUIET and soft-spoken. How in the world did I end up with such REAL BOYS!!!

However, I truly understand your worry and concern especially regarding your 21 year old...

My boys STAY on my MIND.. DAILY.... even though they are not here...and they've both had their MAJOR TRIALS and ISSUES...

I'm always more at ease when I know they are both at home and, as I said before, even though they aren't here they still sorta CHECK IN with me 'cause they know I'm such a "WORRY WART"...

I'll share though that I've learned with mine that they feel that I lack confidence in them if I give the impression of thinking that they can't take care of themselves. A part of it is them wanting to be RESPECTED as MEN and not "BOYS". So now I've learned to LISTEN and to BE THERE and they talk and open up to me a lot more...

LA, are you listening?..

They share that WE don't need TO WORRY because WE did a great job bringing them up....they have the tools and strategie they need...

I recently told my YS that he is sooo "adorable". He said to me in his kind, "adorable" way : "I learned to be this way from "you". Isn't that soo sweet? (Violins playing..)

I just wish my son and son in law and DH were home safe and sound instead of trying to do brave foolish things.

But no chance of empty nest here for a long while. Son and Fiancee spend a lot of time with us ...... DD & SIL live with us for now and of course Mikey is only approaching 3 yrs old so I have a long way to go ......... but how time flys though!!!

I remember as if it was yesterday my oldest son anxious to run off on his first day at school and me boohooing and blubbering ... he was happy as larry.

*S*I*G*H*

Mimi....
I enjoy being by myself too. But at this stage of the game it never lasts long as there is always someone coming home for dinner, leaving for this activity or the other. The usual ruckus of having kids around...they bring more kids, we make more dinner, watch movies etc. Even though I crave quiet time, I'm afraid of too much of it.

AW....
I wish your men were home too!
I remember the kids going off to school too...those were the days!
It was hard at first and then turned to wonderful having all that free time! Still the hustle and bustle of kids coming and going, but it was great to have some quiet time.
And now empty nest....you won't have to worry about that too soon. You have plenty of people around still....and a 3 year old! How fun! You're a busy mum!

Was it Carly Simon who sang....







These are the good ol' days





I remind myself of that when my teen agers are driving me crazy. When they were elementary school aged driving me crazy. When they were preschoolers driving me crazy.



Wish I hadn't struggled so hard emotionally and financially all those years. We would have had more exciting adventures. But, we are happy. You can buy them vacations, you can buy that sort of stuff.....but you can't buy afternoons in a pillow and blanket 'birdnest' on the den floor watching movies.

I guess our life has been sweet enough.