Fredericton — As most operations in town were shut down Thursday due to heavy snowfall, many families found themselves stuck in their homes. Such was the case for local couple Brian and Joyce Cormier, who, in a Skype interview, described the experience of spending a whole day with their two boys, Caleb and Adam, as “torturous.”
“It’s just screaming, crying and breaking shit all day,” Brian explained.
“You’ve never heard anything like it,” said Joyce, anxiously running her hands through her hair. “It’s like a war zone.”
Ordinarily, they say, the family spends their time doing several different things at a comfortable distance from one another.
“Thankfully, Brian and I both work,” said Joyce. “We drop Caleb off at the daycare in the morning, and Adam takes the bus to kindergarten. On a good day, we don’t usually see each other for more than a couple hours.”
The Manatee attempted an interview with the boys, but Caleb did little but scream obnoxiously into the microphone, while Adam tried, unsuccessfully, to show that he could count to 10 on his fingertips.
It can be said that some families welcome the opportunity to bond in these situations, perhaps doing things they normally would not take the time to do, such as playing board games. Joyce dismissed this, using an unprintable word that once referred to people with an intellectual disability.
“A board game? Dear god, what era are you from? The bronze age?” Joyce asked incredulously. “I’d rather jam rusty forks into my eyes than sit and play a game of Snakes and Ladders.”
“Especially with our kids,” Brian added, nodding.
How about a movie?
“Those little cretins refuse to try anything that isn’t some dumbass animated sequel,” said Brian.
“If I have to watch Despicable Me 2 one more time, I swear to god I’m going to blow my fucking brains out,” said Joyce, demonstrating with her fingers. “I want them to see me do it, too. I want them witness it.”
Of course, Joyce and Brian don’t put all of the blame on their kids. They say that this experience has taught them that they need to work on their parenting skills, to try and develop a better line of communication with their sons. Either that, or put them up for adoption.
“Both options sound pretty good right now,” they agreed.