Journal, Day 173

The previous week, the children mostly got along well, which was a rare occasion. Rather, they chose to bicker with benefactor individually rather than each other. It often seems that when the children find their own unusual methods of working out their disagreements, it makes the benefactor more distraught and concerned for the well-being of all, as it usually involves some form of warfare, such as using plastic, practice weaponry. Aside from attempts to improve their target practice and annoy each other endlessly, they also seemed determined to heartily irritate the benefactor, often caught in the cross hairs of such battles.
 
Mispronunciation seems to be an issue that is ravaging like a disease amongst the male kin. During a random conversation, the younger male announced to his family that he would be the only one able to have ‘erractions’ during a now forgotten circumstance when he would be older. After copious laughter subsided, the benefactor gently corrected his miswording. He also informed everyone at a different time that he would be more equipped to perform the ‘himinach’ maneuver should someone in the household require it. Again, much giggling ensued, and the younger male, unaware of his mistake, merely looked about in disbelief and asked, “what?’ many times over. The older male also struggled, discussing the musical Les Miserable, and botching the name into ‘Les Me’, similarly mocked like his younger counterpart.
 
The elder male and elder female participated in a school dance over the weekend, after a special holiday party at the elder male’s place of employment. He was slightly vexed when the benefactor insisted on transporting him to the second event, insisting she get the opportunity to meet his newest love interest. Just to annoy him a slight bit more, the benefactor insisted on taking a photo of not just the elder male and his date, but also having his date take a photo of her with the elder male. He was not amused.
 
At the end of this weekend, the younger children were kept at their other benefactor’s home, after concerns of communicable disease when the younger male became infected with influenza. The benefactor missed them greatly, but also wanted to protect the health of the elder children, and herself, as well.
 
Lately, tensions have been running high between the benefactor and her brood. Instead of having to instruct the children a few times to motivate them to complete their tasks, it seems to now take almost entire days of cajoling for the benefactor to inspire them to actually move. This is both frustrating for the children, who tire of nagging, as well as the benefactor, who exhausts from being the naggee. Dishes have been left in large, unstable piles, and it often feels as if a tornado ravages the home, particularly following the elder children path’s through the house. For the benefactor, it feels like never ending disaster management without any real threat of disaster. There still remains hope that perhaps, one day, the elder will understand the benefactor’s frustration, but alas, not likely until they themselves become benefactors themselves.