My house is like Thunderdome.

            Every day around 5 my house transforms.  The day begins with home being a fun place to race cars and build things.  But early each evening, it becomes a ring for fighting to the death.  I remember when I used to dream about the day that Crews would be able to fight back.  After all, Teague spent the first 22 months of Crews’ life beating the crap out of him.  But back in February, when Crews realized he didn’t have to take it anymore, I recognized I’d made a mistake in wanting him to fight back (Jess, I think you warned me more than anyone else!).

            Regardless, no matter how fantastic our day has been; how many activities we have participated in; or how well everyone has gotten along since 6:30 am, there is something about 5 o’clock that flips the boys’ crazy switches.  They may be playing quietly next to one another on the floor or looking at a book together on the beds in the playroom.  But when the clock strikes 5, someone is going to get smacked in the side of the head with a tractor or thrown into a chair.

            I always have to ask my friends: Is this just sibling rivalry?  Is it just because they’re boys?  Do they really hate each other?  I have no idea.  I’m an only child.  And I certainly didn’t walk around smacking people as a form of conflict resolution when I was a kid.

            For a while, I entertained the idea that the boys were on a sugar high or perhaps a sugar crash at that particular time of day.  But after 6 months of this happening daily without fail (and adjustments to their overall sugar intake), I think it’s just their dynamic.  So I’ll keep prying them off one another and sticking them in time outs.  And maybe one day, Thunderdome will find its way back to the 80’s movie Mad Max and stay there.