The problem is that they think they are "raised" already, so they don't have to take my advice. Not like when they were little and had to do what I said.
I still have a lot of influence over them, of course, because I'm paying for college.
I brought Spencer home from college and, within a few days, he had a job and is working 40 hours per week. Spence enjoys hanging with his friends, and I had anticipated giving him a stern talking to about adjusting to life with parents, but mostly he's too tired to do more than work. He's still on college student hours, which means I might get up at 5 a.m. and see him getting ready to go to bed... and that leads me to the biggest problem
Our house, our lovely house that looks out into treetops from the front porch, is small.
We have three bedrooms. When the boys were younger, we expected them to share. They rarely did. Tucker took to sleeping on the couch in the living room. Then Spencer moved into the rec room in the basement.
That's where he slept last year on a futon. The futon isn't one of those thin mattresses that feels like it is stuffed with straw. It has springs and everything.
Since he arrived home this year, Spencer has been requesting his original bedroom back. Tucker is currently occupying it. This year, as the only child at home, he spread his belongings between two bedrooms. I narrowed him down to one, but it's the one Spencer would like to have.
With Spencer's weird, day-time sleeping habits, Tucker chomps at the bit to play on the Xbox or watch TV in the rec room, which he can't do because Spencer is sleeping there.
"He needs to be more considerate when I'm sleeping," Spencer said.
"It was 1:30 p.m." Tucker replied.
They both had a point.
Grace took over her old bedroom, but on Sunday, we moved most of her belongings to her new apartment. She came home again because she has rehearsals nearby four days a week.
To make matters worse, yesterday morning, Spencer sat on the edge of the futon and bent the frame. He got up complaining that he slept on an incline.
"Okay," I decided, "time to oust Grace from the other bedroom."
Tonight, after I teach, after Grace's rehearsal, I'm driving Grace back to her apartment.
I'll change the sheets and Spencer can sleep there tonight, although he may not go to bed until 5 a.m.
When I finish teaching tomorrow, I'll help Spencer move his belongings to the dresser upstairs.
I guess we're doing a good job of making sure life isn't too comfortable at home.