An Example

I saw on television the other day, and I've heard Jack and Alice, the people I live with, say that more and more children are living with their parents, even after college. And, of course, much older people often live with their children. I think the term that is used for a situation like this is extended families.

Well I'm kind of in an extended-extended family. Jack and Alice are not my biological parents, nor have they adopted me. When you are 23 you don't get adopted. But it is fun to live with older people, Jack,75, Alice,65, although she looks 40, their daughter, Meg, and her husband, Jim, in their mid 30's, and their two kids, Jack and Joe, because we really are one family.

Jack and Joe, the grandkids, are 10 and 4 years old. But they are not pests as kids this age can be. Well one qualifier. I've (sp) seen so many episodes of Star Wars, sometimes I feel like I am losing it. But I really enjoy my time with Jack and Joe. I get to be Jack's mentor(sp) in football, basketball, and baseball and ocassionally help Jack with his homework. Joe counts on me to help build his play castles, and he gets to explain to me 'spongebob squarepants'.

Both boys go to a catholic school because Alice and Jack want them to see something, as Jack puts it, bigger than just themselves. But I'm no philosopher, so I won't go further on this.

But this week a couple of things happened that kind of made me laugh and think. It is Lent, and at Jack's school the kids in his religion class had a assignment. The first question was "What am I going to give up for lent." Well Jack's first answer was "I will give up having breakfast in bed" The teacher must have fainted. Well he doesn't have breakfast in bed but ocassionally his parents will let him take his cereal bowl into his bedroom if there is something he just HAS to see on TV. And when he does this he sits on the side of his bed. Okay, I guess that is breakfast in bed. The second thing he was going to give up was cussing. His mother,Meg, was surprised and said "Jack I did not know you cussed. Jack replied;" sometimes when I am playing football with my friends, and we miss the ball we say "crap". I have not told Meg, but he knows a couple of other "bad" words.

Then the work sheet said ".At lent we try to help others. What could you do to help someone else.?" Jack's answer was "Well I will try to be extra nice to those who had to give up some of their favorite things for Lent." I'm not sure of his logic here.

And then Joe. In my room at Jack and Alice's they have made sure it had an extra nice, large bathroom. I was taking a shower and did not lock the door to the bathroom. I just stepped out of the shower au natural(I'm not sure those are the right words, but I will act like I know). The door opens, and there stands 4 year old Joe. I scrambled for a towell, but before I could get one Joe said "Uncle Frank will you help me set up my castle?" I was embarassed. But Joe thought nothing about it. I wonder when they learn to be ashamed of their bodies or at least learn you don't go around Au natural, as I think smart people say.

So I have to say Jack needs a little work on being logical. But I hate to say Joe will have to lose his innocence. But there is a lot to learn right here at home with my extended-extended family. And, of course, the greatest of these is love.


Anna, do you think this is alright. Just an example. Frank