Forty Four Days!

It's July 15.
I think this may be a record for me.
I tell myself that anyway.
I remember one summer it happened on June 29.
The kids just got out of school that summer on June 19.
I only had 10 days before it occurred, so I am pretty happy with myself that I made it until July 15.
But it always happens.
I'm sick of my kids.
Summer break is half over and I'm counting the days until school starts again.
It's not that I'm sick of my kids individually.
I'm fed up with them as a whole.
I never understand how, being the mother of four, I can show them so much patience despite whatever stage and subsequent issue they're having at the time, and yet, they're so intolerant of one another.
How is it my eldest can hardly stand being in the same room with her brother because he's going through a stage she just finished up a year or so ago?
Shouldn't she be the kindest? The most understanding?
Can we never see our common experiences in those we're closest too?
Having been in college all year my eldest has come home, not with renewed appreciation for our family like every mother hopes, but with renewed annoyance at how much we're not like her friends at college.
My son thinks we're a pain in the butt because we're not like his friend in high school.
In all honesty, it's the younger two who still don't think we should be like their pals. That's not why they're annoyed with us.
They're just annoyed with us for breathing.
Somehow I missed this.
I thought if my husband and I set the example of patience and kindness to them, they would learn from this example and use what they learn to show patience and kindness to one another.
If we drive them to and from their various activities without complaint, then when they can drive, they will gladly return the favor.That is i wash their clothes and remember their favorite items at the grocery store, they would some day do this for each other too. Do you know how many times I've gone to Subway to order sandwiches for all six of us? Do you have any idea how long that takes? How many enemies I've made while the people stack up in the line behind me and glare hatred at the back of my head?
My son won't even get me a grande skinny cap from Starbucks, let alone even consider placing an order for a sibling.
What would June Cleaver have done to the Beaver if he behaved this way? They never covered this on Father Knows Best!
If I can put up with all four of them and their bickering and annoyances and moods, how in the world can they not put up with one another?
So let me rephrase the above statement.
I am not actually sick of my kids.
I'm sick of my kids being sick of each other.
The way I see it, only kids get summer breaks.
Mom's get breaks when school starts again, and mine's coming in just 44 long days.
FORTY FOUR DAYS! As the kids say, OMG!
Whoever thinks summer is short isn't spending it in my house this year.
So if you think summer is half over, let me warn you, there's still forty four days until school begins. That means there's more than enough summer left to get to the beach and plan that vacation, and if you don't have kids , maybe enjoy a little peace and quiet somewhere. And if you do have kids?
Let me suggest reading a good book, with a set of ear buds, and a little John Denver music to help you relax. And if you really get discouraged, threaten the little beast with some back to school shopping. It will scare the pants off of them and give you a little reminder that relief is just 44 days away!
Hang in there moms.