Wednesday 17 April 2013

Nine Seconds

So we are still here.

It feels pretty complicated. On the one hand, I need to - and I want to - maintain all the family relationships we have over here. I'm being a bridesmaid for my cousin on Saturday and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Four of us have all been each other's bridesmaids - the first wedding was in 1998, and fifteen years later this completes the set.

On the other hand: my children. Oy. The next generation of cousins is having a great time together, but the levels of dysregulation from the lack of routine and all the new people? Epic. EPIC.

(And that's just me. Ha).

The choice I have right now is: write a post about the complexities of trying to balance important long-term family connections with the short-term needs of my children and my own inability to handle chaos, or throw up my hands, admit I have no idea and post a video instead.

We are closing in on four weeks here. Home in another week.  How about I show you nine seconds of the boy having fun, and you tell me how to manage this family stuff?





9 comments:

  1. I regret that I have no advice for handling family stuff; we just spent a week back in our home city, and I shudder thinking of your five weeks. I am impressed that you can still muster the strength to type. I'm sure it will be a relief to be back in your own space, with your own routine. You're almost there! Way to go!

    And the video? So flipping fantastic. I love watching fun like that.

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  2. Love the video. :-)

    I experienced the same thing as you when visiting DH's family in Europe for extended periods of time. I won't claim to know how to handle it as I vividly recall crying to my kids "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BEHAVE! You are embarrassing me in front of DH'S family!" They looked at me like I had two heads. Quite frankly I felt like I had two heads.

    Good luck and safe home.

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  3. This video makes me incredibly happy. Incredibly.

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  4. I've got nothing, I'm struggling with the same things here. Oh, wait, I do have a teeny sliver of advice. Keep that gorgeous, giggling video close at hand once you are home - in my experience the dysregulation reaches EPICxInfinite levels once home (ie. that safe-cozy place to really let it all out ... yikes!)

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  5. Nope, I wouldn't know what to do with that either ;) Looks fun though! Maybe I can find someone to slide me on my back across a big wood floor.

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  6. OMG. I love that video. And I miss you!

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  7. ha. we're going through a family wedding two-month period of planning and activities (my sister's, I'm the matron of honor), and I so understand the dysregulation. Will it ever end? No advice, since I'm obviously not dealing well with it myself...but just thought I'd let you know---you're not alone.

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  8. Catching up with you this morning. Thanks for giving me that hilarious nine seconds to start my day!

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Over to you!