So my oldest two (11 and 8) were at their grandparents for a few days. I just picked them up this morning. We love them and miss them when they are gone, but man, is it ever quieter in their absence. Why is that? We still have a 4 and 2 year old in the home. When they are gone, there doesn't seem to be as many power struggles and spatting. They even act goofy at a louder volume then the littles, it seems. Of course, there are not the repeated requests for TV or computer from them when they are elsewhere. I don't know, I adore them, but if I hear "MOM???" get hollered from the deck one more time as I type this, I am going to throw a hairy fit. (not really.) In all fairness, my daughter did stay inside with our youngest while I took the other two on errands with me. (My hubby was working in the yard). I couldn't have done that without her home. ( side note- one of the errands was a visit to the doc to find out that 4 year old J has a staph infection on his scalp. Ewww.) This is just a venting post- I am not going for snazzy or well written. Just feeling like a frustrated mom who is thinking after 11 and 8 years of the same training, I expected that it would sink in!!!! Like for example, after I guess about 7 YEARS of me asking my son not to touch the chocolate bars at the check out, I thought that he may have stopped by now. I guess not!!!