Grown-up Meltdowns

Well, at the end of our fine day in Glacier National Park, Niece had a meltdown. We were in a theater preparing to watch a fancy Native American singing and dancing show. I was already regretting buying tickets for this because the kids were too tired (me,too).

When a Native American man, dressed in full costume came on stage, we were pretty excited. But then he started in with a long history of the Blackfoot Indian tribe, which was interesting enough, except that tonight we were all really after the singing and dancing, drums and feathers stuff.

The topic of choice was the buffalo demise and perhaps he noticed all the children going to sleep because he started talking about sugar. Primarily, he discussed how Indian children from long ago didn’t have sugar. But they did have treats. Get this: when the men brought home a buffalo, the children would crack open the skull. They’d elbow each other, trying to get to the delicious brains first. When it was finally cracked open all the children would dive in! They also took their long sticks (like we use to roast marshmallows) to twist and twist the inside of fresh buffalo bones. Their mouths would water as they dug for big hunks of bone marrow; this was candy to them. Describing this in such detail with such fervor was a bit much, and the next thing I know, Niece mouthed “I’m sick” and ran for the bathroom. Poor niece.

Actually, I was happy for an excuse to leave, knowing the kids needed to get to bed and I needed to blog and do a load of laundry before our endless drive to North Dakota tomorrow! Where oh where were those singers and dancers?

Niece has just left home and she’s learning some hard life lessons. It’s tough to be independent for the first time, right? On paper, living at home seems to make good sense, especially financial sense, when you're not back in college yet. But for her and many other 18 year olds, that reality seems impossible. She has to learn all those awful things like being broke is a drag especially when it’s your fault that your checkbook is overdrawn. Being lonely when you’re not alone sucks, too, especially when you’re with a guy who's still trying to figure it all out himself. But the worst part is questioning every single thing you do. Philosophizing about life in general is so normal at that age, but just so exhausting. Top it all off with the fact that Niece is an introvert (a very social introvert), and hours upon hours in the car with 3 inquisitive children is no place for an introvert.

After a couple of days, this really had her guts spinning – delicious brains and marrow talk from a big man in feathers just did her in!

A public note to Niece: Most of us wouldn’t go back to being 18 again if we were able and we feel for you to the core. We also know it’s essential for you to figure this out on your own. We believe in you!