The yo-yo family

I was back to these 2 as the only preschoolers at home today. As soon as I arrived home from taking H to school for the second day, M called to say she wanted both of the kids back. It turns out that it all was ,more or less ,a feud between M and her mother over a boyfriend. M talked to the probation officer and they extended her probation so there is no danger of jail right now. Up and down again, the usual yo-yo of not knowing what is going to happen next with this family. It had been mentioned at school that DFACS might get involved with H because of so many absences so we cleaned all day on Monday thinking they might show up. At least I have a cleaner house now. With the house straightened out a little and only two toddlers and 5 teenagers at home, we worked on schoolwork a little and I gave the teenagers some free time to watch the extended DVD of the making of The Lord of the Rings. It is very interesting and I guess it could be under the headings of science, social studies, art, some kind of school subject anyway. I've been told that I'm strange when it comes to what I let my children watch on TV and maybe I am. The Lord of the Rings is a little scary and violent but my older kids are so much more focused and willing to do things they don't want to after they watch it again. It brings out a nobleness of spirit in them. They know that my movie criteria doesn't have anything to do with "if there's cussin' in it". It must be something that makes them think or inspires them to be a better person. I can even tolerate a cuss word or 2 if the overall content will make a difference in their lives. They only watch 2 shows off the airways; The Amazing Race and Survivor. Both of the shows have some objectionable content and we turn it to a blank channel during the commercials but the insights we gain into human behavior (and geography from the Amazing race) are worth it, I think. Everyday someone will say "You are acting like____" on Survivor and it will ring home to that person that they don't want to be like that. With this crowd of teenagers, I think sometimes it helps them see that they are part of this Tribe and part of the Tribe of the Kingdom of God as well trying to survive against the enemy of our family and our souls.