I need money. Hey we all need money! So when someone asked me to sit in their office, answer the phone, greet visitors and play on the computer while they were out for $10 an hour, I jumped on it.
The kids are off from school so I knew it wouldn't be easy but at least he was cool with the kids coming with me. It was the perfect scenario for my situation. Get money, bring the kids and help someone out doing something easy.
We got there with our bags packed for the day. Two laptops, a Kindle Fire, my smartphone, workbooks, paper, pens, Nintendo DS Games and their favorite toys.
I took them to breakfast and we got here for 10:30 as was asked. Did they take anything out to play with? Did they keep themselves busy? Did they sit and work with me on their workbooks? NO! NO! NO! and NO! They fought like cats and dogs all day over the couch in the office.
They hurt each other by tossing each other off the couch or punching each other. WHAT THE HELL? They don't do this at home. There was no self control and since I was on the phone most of the day, there were tears and a few times I had to hide away to take the call. WTF? Really?!
Handsome was easy. Handsome wanted to just chill out. He found a spot on the couch. Had his journal and Power Ranger and quietly sat UNTIL Goddess who is like a flea and kept bouncing around the room from one thing to another. Trying to get on the couch with him. Trying to take his toy. Trying to make me crazy. I tried to get her to sit with me and look at family movies or work on her reading. Look at crafts or animals on the computer on my lap but bothering her brother is way more fun.
When I told them that I was writing about this, Handsome said, "No Mom don't. I have been trying to be good." He is right and if it were just him and I here today, I wouldn't have any stress but that is not the case. My 8 year old Goddess is an instigator and doesn't know how to alter her voice level. She has Loud and Screaming nothing in between. She is a huge help organizing our work space, putting the food in the fridge for our stay and plates out when the pizza came for a late lunch but man, no self control when it comes to her brother.
I am tired, and upset. Yes, I knew it would be difficult and I think they did a better job than I expected but....YIKES my head hurts.
Handsome says "I spent the day reading his journal and laying on the couch. The day would have been better if he was able to do his best and wanted to be a good boy but, Goddess kept sitting on me, pushing me off the couch and making me uncomfortable."
Goddess says, Handsome made the day hard because he kicked me off the couch and said he owned the couch. I never got to spend any time there. It isn't fair.
UGH..yes that about sums it up. My day. UGH....the end is close...we leave in 10. I am packing up and getting ready to leave.
How was your day? I hope it was way better than mine.
Oh, you need a good hour of meditation - away from the rugrats! My day was so much better - no rugrats involved at all.
ReplyDeleteI DO need at least an hour and I get it when they attend summer school. It started just this past week and since it was our first week, I probably only got 40 mins but next week, I plan on vegging with a coffee and a book.
DeleteI know you were frustrated and exhausted but I can't help but laugh picturing Goddess jumping around "like a flea" all over Handsome :) I hope your weekend is more peaceful and relaxing.
ReplyDeleteShe never sits down Renee. Even watching a movie, she is always moving her body around. Her legs, her arms, hugging us, rubbing our arms, getting on our laps. UGH
DeleteI know, I swear, I've said it before but our girls are so much alike I can completely relate. You call yours a flea, I call mine a jack in the box--as soon as she sits down she pops right back up and flutters around like a moth until someone tells her AGAIN for the hundredth time to sit back down :)
DeleteI totally get it. What a lot to go through but at least you have a little more money in your pocket. My dad's side of the family is LOUD. I didn't realize how much so until the first time I took my hubby to a family gathering. He was dumb-founded. Then we realized that our son was loud too and were determined to get him out of the habit and it worked after a few months. Ask Goddess to talk soft ("use your Inside Voice") from time to time, not when she is making you nuts, but at random times throughout the day. Reward her for doing so. Handsome should get rewarded for a task as well. We used a jar filled with stickers, penny candy, nickels and the like. It was frustrating, but after a couple of months, "Inside Voice" was all it took. 15 years later and thank goodness he is no longer a "loudie".
ReplyDeleteRobin, great advice. She just projects and I wish I had her level especially when I work in the Middle School at lunch time. Ahhh...they are loud. She sometimes catches herself and puts her hand over her mouth. She is talking nice and I just told her so. Thanks for the reminder. She never stops talking. The house is very calm and quiet. Teach and I are not yellers and we like quiet as we were both loners growing. We are not sure why she yells to talk but my sister tells me that my niece is the same. I need to get those girls together just to hear them talk to each other.
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