It is so not a full moon and the tides likely haven’t shifted discernibly, but the moods and emotions within our family lately have been tumultuous at best.

We’re on winter break so the kids are home all day. Usually that’s a good thing; no one likes the pressure of the outside world, feeling safe, stable and secure way down our dirt road and up the long, winding driveway through the trees.

A bunch of acres in which to run and play, several creeks cutting through the property and we have a swimming pool. Add in all the bicycles, skateboards, scooters, soccer goals, basketball poles and trampolines, there’s no shortage of ways in which to expend energy.

But today cross words were constantly exchanged, lines were crossed, slurs that can’t be taken back were slung around by angry children and toys were broken.

Three kids had fevers and were surly while the rest were lazy and that makes me a tad grouchy, what with me not wanting to be a fulltime maid around here. Heck, I still have to cook and I’d rather go haul woodchips to the rose beds.

My 16 year old son, fresh from a lock-up stint and facing an extended lock-up if he chooses to break the law, lost his temper when I had the utter gall to correct his behavior.

Imagine that? A mom redirecting inappropriate and oppositional behavior.

Slamming his bedroom door he hurled himself into his bed at suppertime. An “I’ll show you! I won’t eat what you’ve cooked!” This is the level of maturity I deal with everyday.

I shrugged and thought, OK, more food for the rest of us and let him enforce his own ridiculously early and self-imposed bedtime curfew.

His older birth sister came home from work and was apprised of the situation. This kind of negotiation and explanation plays a large part in our family’s particular dynamics. She talked with him awhile, often able to soothe the wild beast that used to blow up so violently that we’d have to call the police for our own safety.

I’m fairly certain we’ll start tomorrow off with another clean slate as we usually manage to do, putting today behind us and moving on.

Photo Credit Anya Rice