These last few weeks (months according to my husband) have been quite difficult on our marriage. When we ask ourselves why, his response is that I need therapy or anger management, while my response is the (step) kids are driving me bat-shit-crazy. The raising of teenagers is patient parenting X100000000000. I love these kids, they're truly incredible and kind, but boy can I take them or leave them sometimes.
This holiday season was tough, lovely and wonderful in the way holidays are so much more fun with kids. Except when everyone in the family gets sick. Be it the common cold or the flu, there were 3 members out of commission. Mix that with school break, and couch potato-ing becomes an olympic sport in this house. I'm surprised there wasn't a champion for the one who used the bathroom the most. It was painful to witness.
So I feel tremendous relief when I come across an article by Wednesday Martin Ph.D., author of Stepmonster (stepmonster I am not) that justifies my warp-speed anger/resentment about having to pick up another pair of shoes or 10 dirty tissues off the living room floor. The article highlights the challenging personalities of teenagers and how, basically, if you didn't give birth to these angry little buggers, it's that much harder to keep your cool during adolescence. As good as these kids are, they're still 13 & 17 years old and incessantly moody.
The bright side? Only 18 months before the first goes to college!
teens-can-drive-you-nuts-especially-when-theyre-not-yours
Serenity now. Praying for no insanity later...
Also, check out Mrs. Martin's blog for more information about raising these other people's children we get to call our own. http://wednesdaymartin.com/blog/
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