I'm a reasonably patient person. I pride myself in listening and understanding why my children do what they do, but these last few days have pushed me to my mummy limit and I don't think I am alone.
There is nothing like enforced togetherness to really bring out all your family's quirks.
And they are not all bad! Here's what I discovered after being housebound with my loved ones during Ophelia.
1. My children are actually pretty hilarious. In the hustle and bustle of life, sometimes we are guilty of not tuning in for those really funny moments that make you wish you had captured it on camera. Yesterday, after his shower, I was drying my five-year-old when he announced 'not to forget his charm-pits'.
2. The power of the imagination is boundless. While waiting for the storm to pass, my three dressed up in every possible combination of costumes from our dress up box. We had a Jedi princess with baking superpowers, a storm-trooper who stings like a bee and a pirate mermaid hybrid who was also a ghost. They served me a Lego dinner of roast potatoes and peas, they escaped countless rivers of lava and made dens galore. It was a real joy to experience.
3. The hurricane inside was worse than the hurricane outside. That is all.
4. They really are in synch. My three are pretty close in age so they do enjoy most of the same things. Watching them tumble from room to room together was like watcing a flock of starlings dance about the sky. Making mind-bending movements and shapes but always in synch. It made me take a moment to be thankful they have eachother - even if they gang up on me for the remote.
5. I need a lock on my fridge. For me.
6. Sometimes old fun is the best fun. Of course, I had stockpiled boardgames and torches galore before the words 'don't leave the house' were out of the mouths of the Government's Emergency Response Team. I was one of those crazy people in the supermarket wondering how many days we could survive on Mac and Cheese. The result was that even though we were basking in the glow of all our electricity - we gravitated towards the games. Who knew that Domino's could be such fun!
7. My house is too small.
8. Teachers deserve more accolades.
9. My kids never stop eating.
10. We really get on well. I mean I knew we all loved eachother as a family, but we are finally at a stage when everyone has their own opinions on things. My youngest is almost three and we call her 'boss baby' as she rules the roost. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the company of my family (in between the squabbles). Each personality is different but together, each little persona compliments the other and I was really proud of our little team.
But, let's be honest...most of us will be sitting outside the school gates early tomorrow morning. Right? RIGHT?
