Family Bonds

There's a sitcom that plays on local TV called Family Bonds. I don't watch if often, but when I do I got always get a good laugh. The family is such a mismatch of different characters it's borderline dysfunctional. It kinda reminds me of the family I grew up in.

I grew up in what would be classified as a neutral family. Father and mother lead the home and children are supposed to follow. I'm the oldest of three, but somehow at first glance people always assume I'm the last one to join the family. I've a younger brother and sister; I've had to learn to say younger since they aren't little anymore and plus they both look bigger than me now! Over the years we've owned a few dogs which we loved dearly. Kinda sounds like a boring bunch right!? Well we're far from it...

Mom and dad are a totally couple. I don't understand how they survived this long. Dad's a total nerd! Mom's an undercover nerd, but she has this overpowering exuberant personality to mask the nerd in her. You'll often find dad reading a newspaper or listening to radio news all by his lonesome. He likes it like that. My mother will never be caught dead all by her lonesome. That woman thrives on company... She thrives on talking. I'm not sure why she never went into radio broadcasting because my ma can talk the hind leg off a donkey! You don't have to answer back really, just be there so she can talk to someone. My dad on the other hands speaks only to tease my mother... She still doesn't get his humour so she goes into a frenzy and he chuckles quietly. He also only speaks to say something important, but my mother must be busy elsewhere or else she will try to finish his sentences... I think mama is like an electron that's too easily excited.

My brother and sister are also weird. My sister is the only person who's not a morning person. When she was a baby/toddler my dad had to sing a song to wake her up! My nerdy dad actually figured out that if he sang to her this song he made up that's open up her eyes! My sister was such a diva... Nowadays her body wakes up in parts. Before she gets out of bed we must wait for her right let, left arm, eyes, wrist and other body parts to wake up! Yeah... She's a real diva. My brother's not one to be left in the dust... He's the resident Rock Star! The whole neighbourhood knows when he's awake! He pumps the volume up, doesn't matter the song, and he sings along! Every morning it's like that. But at night when he wants to study, he wants the whole house tjoop still. It's annoying really. I'm not sure how our family survived all that torture, we couldn't even whisper because it was too much noise... All in all, he's a well adjusted person and so is my sister. My brother and sister are very compassionate and caring young adults.

Me on the other hand am surprised that I turned out so well. I was a tyrant growing up. I always challenged authority, my parents. I had an answer for everything. I always had the last word. And once I wrote my folks a letter telling them I'm leaving the house and going to join a new family. Stupid me I gave them my new address... And then I fell asleep before I could live. They found the letter on their bed and me in my bed fast asleep... Bummer! It also didn't help that I lacked a healthy helping of inhibition and I didn't know what getting embarrassed meant. I once danced on stage and my dress came apart; I carried on dancing. I blew into the trachea of a sheep to simulate breathing in biology class when the teacher was away. I also picked up a fresh dead pigeon and put it inside my blazer so I could scare my friend at school. As you can tell I was never bored...

Now here I am all grown up with a family of my own. A husband as quiet as my dad... Well he talks sometimes. And we've a kid on the way. We won't know till the baby's born if it's a girl or a boy. I'm really excited but worried the baby will grow up to be like me. I'm not sure I have the kinda patience my parents are endowed with. I'm still not sure if I can hold a tiny person in my arms. I told my mom I'm sending my baby to a school for deaf kids; it will be so much better if the back-chat in Sign.

Right now thought I'm thoroughly grateful for my husband. He's the sane one in our relationship. Every time I stress he just says: 'It's okay baby, there's a reason why a child has two parents'. Aaaaah! Instant calm nerves. He's a gem. I'm looking forward to the future and can't wait to see what blend of mismatched personalities will strengthen my family bonds.
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