Friday, Jul. 16, 2021 - 3:04 p.m.

Yeah, I don’t know. Do I enjoy watching them fail with our children? I do. Though I realize that they probably think the reason our kids don’t do as they expect at this point is because of us.

Today it was about E and food. He is at a difficult age. I don’t know. Gammie lost her temper with him, which is rare. That’s not a criticism, people are allowed to lose their tempers sometimes. I was on his side, though.

I will say that all of my children have an ability to focus so intently on what they are doing that they don’t necessarily notice someone addressing them.

I went through a period a few years ago where I learned that if they don’t seem to be hearing you, your best bet is to go close to them, and gently get their attention. Rather than standing there like an asshole yelling it louder and louder and getting mad about it. It doesn’t matter what they’re absorbed in.

If I catch myself doing that, I remind my lazy ass to go over there. If it’s something they need to know about, like, say, hot food on the table, I make certain they know. I try not to yell it three times and walk away and assume they know. If I do and there’s a problem later, I know it’s more than likely because I didn’t do what I know I have to do.

Let’s just say there’s still a learning curve on this happening with everyone who isn’t me.

In addition to this, sometimes someone yells for someone and then doesn’t even give them a reasonable amount of time to respond before doing it again. Yesterday MIL was walking all around the house yelling her head off for M, who just hadn’t had time to processed and stop what she was doing and emerge. I was irritated as fuck listening to it and M was clearly irritated also. (“You don’t have to keep saying it”). I clearly remember my mother doing this to me, and I hated it then, too.

I can’t micromanage people’s interactions with my children. I mean, I could tell them how to do it more successfully, but quite often that kind of advice is not welcome.

Anyway, what I’ve perceived criticism for -so far- today has been what time they wake up, how long it takes them to come downstairs, our lack of wanting to fight constantly with our children about how they’re spending their time (“screen time limits”)(“whatever happened to that?”)(fuck you is what), and how they respond to verbal bids for their attention.

I’m tired, y’all.

I had another thing I was going to write about, but maybe later.

Tattoo in 4 days. 3 if you count days like U.

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