empathy from family members

My oldest daughter moved on the 1st. Thankfully, my only job was to babysit my 2 granddaughters, ages 1 and 3. They were so good for me that I enjoyed my time with them more than I thought I would.

My 15 year old daughter helped with the heavy stuff and was still so sore yesterday that she could hardly walk. I told her that the pain she was feeling is much like the pain I experience nearly every day. She said "My God Mom! How do you deal with it?" I told her that my medicine helps a bit but sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with it. I also explained that that's why I need their (her and her sister's) help. I tried to explain how the fatigue felt but that wasn't so easy, since she wasn't experiencing that. I know soon she will forget how it feels to be in pain  and I will be thought of as a nag when I ask her to do something extra, but thats a good thing, in a way. I don't want my children to be in pain.

It's nearly time to set our clocks an hour ahead. I hate that. Sleep is difficult enough, sleeping when I should be awake and being awake when I should be sleeping. Time changes make it worse. Why can't we just get rid of that out dated ritual. After all, we can now light up a field in the middle of the night and make it brighter than day light, most people can light their homes similarly. We no longer need to bounce the time back and forth in order to get more work done. I think we temporarily lose some productivity while we get used to gaining or losing an hour.

On a different note, my 5 (almost 6) year old has been acting up lately. She purposely pesters her 11 year old sister to the point of near insanity! I know the sibling stuff is normal but this is the worst I have ever seen, and I have 4 older children, so I have seen a lot! This child stood behind me on the couch and spit on my head! All because I could not immediately help her with a computer game she was playing. I think most of her behavior issues come from her high energy levels. On the plus side, I don't have to do much to get this one awake and ready for school. "Time to wake up" is all I have to say and she's ready to go where as the 11 year old I have to loudly say "Get up!!!!!" many, many, many times and she still moves slower than a snail. They are chronically late for school because of it. I could wake her up early and she would still make everyone late! She needs an alarm clock louder than a jet engine that will also pick her up out of the bed. And as long as I'm wishing, it could also get her dressed and ready for school, which, by the way, she is an Honor Roll student in.