Just don't ask me about the weather

Last month, our babysitter offered to take the kids to her church's Vacation Bible School. And since I wasn't about to turn down three hours of free daycare provided by the Lord himself, I agreed.

On the second night, there was a huge thunderstorm, which knocked the power out and apparently sent my son into an anxiety-fueled tizzy that we've been paying the price for ever since. 

Nothing is ever free. Ever.

My middle two kids have always been a little nervous with thunder and lightning, but the combination of him being without us, the loud boom of the power box popping, and the teachers insisting on singing a loud praise song through the outage did him in.

So he came home fairly traumatized, telling us "the angels are bowling" nonsense and reciting ritualistic prayers begging God to make the rain stop, even after the babysitter attempted to medicate him with Chick-Fil-A ice cream.

He now jumps at any and all loud noises, which wouldn't be such a big deal if we weren't directly under the take-off route of the extremely busy Atlanta Airport.

I'll take "Is that Thunder or a Jet? for $200, Alex!"

But worse is that someone must have mentioned the word "tornado" to him, which has spiraled (heh) into an obsession with rain clouds, tornado sirens, and shelters ("Dear Jesus, Thank you for our basement, Amen!), not to mention earthquakes and tsunamis, and yes, even hurricanes, to which I (and my husband, the pilot and weather expert) spend a large portion of my day reassuring him of the rarity of those occurrences in our world, but especially in Atlanta, Georgia.

Just don't tell him about the earthquake that hit here in 2003. Damn Internet.

I'm just waiting for him to discover floods so he can start constructing an ark out of legoes in our basement. On second thought, that might keep him busy for a couple of years.

Just the other day, we were having our daily "What are you thankful for?" discussion at dinner, which he generally turns into some massively heavy conversation about cumulo-nimbus clouds, but had astonishingly been devoid of all things atmospheric when we got to Margot, who said, without even batting an eyelash:

"I'm fankful we're not talking about the weather!"

We all tried hard not to laugh, but we couldn't help ourselves. I think even Drew cracked a smile.

Amen to that, kid. A-freaking-men.

Comments

[sparkling74]

I almost spit out my juice over Margot's comment. AWE.SOME.

[Beth]

We've been going through this with our 8 year old this Spring and Summer. She's finally over the worst of it, but I'll never forget early in the Spring when it was storming - she stood at the top of the basement stairs crying and screaming, "We're going to DIIIIIEEEEE!!!!!"

Fun times, and I agree with Margot - I'm thankful we're not talking about the weather too!

[Sarah]

We live in a trailer (which I've never been a fan of) and a tornado blew through our area with out any warning. None at all. We had to flee as the tornado picked up and dissipated a couple hundred yards from our giant coffin.
Now I burst into tears every time there is thunder and the wind goes over 15 mph and my son panics and wants to leave if there is even one rain drop.
I know how your son feels. It sucks to be so totally freaked out by something, it feels like it's taking over your life.
PS- Your babysitter is awesome

[Julie Marsh]

Love Margot's comment.

(And my weather-obsessed child is nine.)

[Gym Equipments Bangalore]

I get the nervous stare and constant questions when we see those afternoon thunderheads forming. We've had two lightning strikes on our place this summer already.And I like Margot. A lot. I get the nervous stare and constant questions when we see those afternoon thunderheads forming

[Jaelithe]

I have dealt with my son having a fear of storms (which, by the way, is pretty damn rational in my own son's case, considering the number of tornadoes he's had to cower through over the past few years, including one that tore pieces off of our house while we were in it and one that flooded a mall we were sheltering in). What I did was just try to empower him with as much information as possible. I've explained how and why they form and I've taught him how to tell gentle rain clouds from dangerous ones and I've even shown him how to look for a tornado signature on the radar. I've also told him exactly what he needs to do to stay as safe as possible in a storm, and I've let him help me stock our emergency supplies and first aid kit. I also let him turn on the Weather Channel whenever he wants to check things.

Over time he has gotten a grip on his fear, because he knows he can do practical things to keep himself safe, and so anxiety has changed over into interest. Last weekend he actually begged me to see a tornado documentary (Tornado Alley) at the science center. And I took him. And he didn't wake up screaming later that night. So I think he's okay now. (Keep your fingers crossed.)

[Rachel]

I SOOOOOOO get it. I grew up in New Orleans and my mom told me that thunderstorms happened because they were having a Mardi Gras parade in heaven. I can't even describe what happened in my head when we didn't evacuate for a hurricane when I was 5!

Ironically, we still live in New Orleans, and I told my kids the Mardi Gras in heaven thing also, so maybe I'm asking for it. We have storms pretty much every.single.day during the summer, so hopefully they're not too freaked out by it.

I just hope I haven't ruined Mardi Gras for them. That would be the real tragedy.

[Theresa]

My daugher saw tornados when she was watching tv with her dad. Everytime the clouds roll in she goes crazy. When it sprinkes you would think we were hiding in the basement. My husband said it was a phase. We are going on a year and a half....

[Karen (SubMommy)]

Funny this post shows up today, because I got woken up this morning at 4:45 to yelling and screaming about a "bang that shook the house."

Yawn.

And I like Margot. A lot.

[Wiley]

Bad guys in Mexico is the current obsession around our house...

[Bill]

Forget the weather stuff (though it sounds like your son and my daughter are very similar here), the phrase "attempted to medicate him with Chick-Fil-A ice cream" could be the best ever. :)

[Sarah (Sterling Creek)]

AWESOME MARGOT! My kids have never been nervous about the weather, that was until April 27th when we spent 3 hours in a walk in gun safe waiting out what all us Alabamans will never forget. Nothing like two preschoolers, two springer spaniels and a room full of ammo and firearms to keep you on your toes.

But now even I get the nervous stare and constant questions when we see those afternoon thunderheads forming. We've had two lightning strikes on our place this summer already. This has been quite the summer of southern storms girlfriend! Thankfully we are nearing the end for a while (I hope).

[Amanda]

I feel you. Ever since the night of May 26, 2011 when we had 4 tornadoes touch down all around us (and one possibly pick up and go right over us) my kids have been terrified of storms (10 and 4). They've not known what it's like to have the sky turn a weird color and the big gray screen take over the TV from the weather service letting you know it's time to unplug everything and get in the basement. I've been thankful for the dry summer.

[BonusMom]

From somewhere SD picked up thunder is the Devil hitting his wife. This was totally out of the blue, not her normal reaction. Usually she enjoys the storms (we live on the beach so they're plentiful come summer). We gave her the 'sciency' explanation but Lo and behold she came back from her mother mad that we would make something like clouds moving up and lie to her. Be glad you don't have a crazy woman disputing the THEORY OF THUNDER to him, trying to persuade him that thunder is Satan comitting domestic violence.