I want my kids to be productive members of society... is that too much to ask? Apparently...

Kids.

I have some.

Actually I have 6.

Of the 6 that I gave birth to, have loved and nurtured, have given up part of my life for, 5 still live at home.

One is 25. She's between jobs after a year teaching overseas. She needs somewhere to use as a home base until she finds a new gig stateside. I get that. She needs a job so she can move on, until then, she's at home.
With me.
And the other 4.

Another of the Still. AT. HOME. crew is 20. He WAS in college, but found partying was not conducive to one's academic career. Me work 3 jobs, him party and miss exams... This was a problem...
He is now employed full time.
His plan is to work his way through school. Yay him!
MY PLAN is that he move out and make his own way in the world, VERY SOON! YAY ME!

THE OTHERS are in middle school.

Teens and Tweens are such wonderful creatures. Or they would be, if they belonged to someone else.
But they are mine and, well, I'm stuck with them.

The Boys, 14 and 11, share a large room. They do not share much else.

Or at least they hadn't until recently.
They started playing the same video games and music.

Then, they started keeping their room neater than usual.

I'm not sure if they're using this tactic to keep me out of their room so I-

1) won't nag about dirty socks hanging from ceiling fans, or

2) won't find the burn mark in the carpet, broken window pane, stack of moldy dishes in the laundry hamper... any, or all, of these is highly likely.

I stand in the open door, see the nearly made bed and the stack of school books and binders, on and next to the shared desk, and imagine they are actually trying to make me happy.

Rose-Colored Glasses anyone?

Last, but not least, is a 12 year old girl-child.

She THINKS she is grown up enough to do as she pleases.

Luckily, for her, it pleases her to keep her room clean, make her bed and do her own laundry...

This pleases me, so I let her be. Most of the time.

Unfortunately, it also pleases her to wear black eye liner and mascara that would give Elvira- Mistress of the Dark a run for her money.
(picture courtesy www.elvira.com)

It also pleases her to draw and write on, not only her arms and hands, but her jeans as well. Then she tears them !

These things do not please me. I give her some leeway to express her individuality.
But, permanent marker signatures and hieroglyphics on $40.00 jeans... seriously, why?

I have to choose my battles carefully... it's the only way we will both live until she is old enough to move out.

The eye make-up she swears she isn't wearing... okay she looks like a raccoon, but really?

She'll figure that out soon enough.

Trashing her clothes?
She wants to wear a comic strip and rags, who am I to repress creativity?

She'll realize that being creative and unique comes with a price...

As soon as she gets the bill... $40.00 a pair PLUS alterations...

This will be a battle worth having... Ahhhhh, the joys of parenthood strike again!