I woke up this morning thankful it was already Thursday. Only it isn’t. It isn’t Thursday at all.
Heartbroken on Hump Day
Dear Son:
I worry about you so much at school. Your sister is Chatty Cathy. She has always given us a moment by moment rundown of her day. We are lucky to get a single fact, other than you love free toy time and don’t hate anything. Like yesterday you were line leader and did morning announcements on camera! That is really cool. Don’t you think that was worthy of a share?
Dear children, When the main thing your new teachers are concerned about at back to school night is telling you apart and whether or not you're going to try and switch places on them, I think that means you have a reputation... It's a damn good thing you're both super smart, good students because otherwise they may not appreciate the identical twin chaos as much... Signed, Mom
Dear teachers, Sorry? Good luck! At least they're not shy girls? Signed, Welcome to my world
Dear mommyatty, Try asking super specific questions about school - what book did you read? What happened in music class? What kind of math did you do? I once read an article about how kids can't process the "What happened today" open-ended questions so they just don't answer with anything. So now I try to keep that in mind when we talk about their days. I get a ton more out of mine when I ask specifics instead of a general question. It usually leads to them opening up more.
Dear Self - The kids have had an awesome summer. They went to really cool camps, to the beach several times (with friends and without), away on vacation, to visit Grandma, camping for a whole week with their cousins, to the playground, aquarium, amusement park, etc... so two things... First, stop beating yourself up about the things that DIDN'T happen this summer. Second, stop killing yourself trying to jam a million things into the last week of summer. They don't appreciate it, so stop running yourself ragged. Love, Self
Dear DH - You can start talking to me at any time. If I don't know what's wrong I can't fix it. Love, Mae
Dear Soccer Schedules - Thank you for working out pretty well. 9am and 1pm are decent times for Saturday games with decent breaks in between. I'm glad that playing in 2 leagues finally worked out! Sports Mom
Dear DD- I love you but your strong personality is putting me over the edge. Also, I’m sorry you have a cold. I better not get sick before my girls weekend.
Dear PMS- please stay away for my girls weekend. I already feel super crabby but that could be attributed to morning.
Dear bus, why are you so late all the time. I like it better when you showed up at 8:05 or 8:10. This 8:15 stuff is annoying.
Dear weather- why are you 59 in the mornings already. I sent my kids out in T-shirt’s.
Dear kids- stop pushing at the bus stop it I will come out there and embarrass you. You know I will so why do it?
Dear husband- why did you have to travel to Seattle for a work from home position. Confused.
Post by erinshelley21 on Aug 28, 2019 8:19:31 GMT -5
mommyatty, I second twinmomma 's specific questions. A few usually get DS talking about his day vs the "good" or "fine" when I ask how his day was. I try to switch up the questions every day.
Dear DH, It may have been petty of me to quickly do the dishes while you were in the shower to make you feel bad for moaning and groaning like I had asked you to do the dishes(I did), fold all the laundry(I did), clean the bunny cage, bathe our children(I did) and cook dinner(I did this too), when I actually only asked you to do the cage and dishes, but I have no regrets. When you said "this is how you end up mad at me isn't" I knew I made the right choice. If you would take time out of your day to eat some freaking lunch, you wouldn't feel like pure dog shit after your workout. Get it together. Do you know how much shit we have to pack over the next 9 days? And do you know how many of those days you're going to be gone? 5. Over half of them. Life gets a little easier next weekend. Love, Your wife
Dear DS, Sorry for throwing ALL of these changes on you over the last 2 months with a few more to come. I really hope this is why you are having such a hard time with K, because if it is then the end is in sight. If it's not, then I have no clue. Love, your worried mama
Dear DD, Thank you for going with the flow. I feel bad that you aren't getting the attention your brother gets right now. You've handled it well considering the fact that you are 2.5 and your sassy personality with a short wicked temper has hardly fluctuated. Your sleep is also still pretty good. Keep on keepin' on girl. Love, your thankful mama
waverly, It is a client meeting? DH works from home, but travels to the home office once or twice a month for a fews a few hours away.
Dear Fall, I am so happy you are here weather wise. I like the cold weather and am ready for you. Yes, I know that this sounds super basic, but that's okay.
Dear Fall Travel, Ummm....that's alot of travel that I am going to be doing......Not sure about this. Can't we travel when it is gross out, like November?
Post by supertrooper1 on Aug 28, 2019 12:28:24 GMT -5
Dear DS, Enjoy your first day of school! Love, Mom
Dear beau, Thank you for inviting me to join you in Hawaii in October during your vacation. I really want to go, can afford it and have the PTO. I just worry that it would be too soon for you and your family. Signed, Found a cheap flight but too nervous to book
I do ask closed questions! I need to videotape DS to use to prep witnesses for depositions. He answers EXACTLY what is asked and doesn’t invite more scrutiny. His transcript would look like this:
Me: What was your favorite thing today? DS: Free toys Me: Which toy did you choose? DS: blocks Me: was anyone else playing blocks? DS: yes Me: who? DS: Rowan Me: Is Rowan a new friend? DS: Yes. Can you stop asking me questions now?
At one point last year I told him he needed to tell me three things about every day. We would sit down to dinner and he would say “We are working on the letter G. Our number today was 14. I liked playing with cars. Don’t ask me more questions! That was three things!”
Signed, Mother of a Sullen Teenager in Kindergarten
mommyatty, I always try and ask DD very pin point questions especially when I get 1 word answers. Some of my favorites are who did you sit next to at lunch, what did you teacher have on today, did you have music or pe and then a question about that class. I would also try and talk to him without his big sister around so he doesn't have to worry about her butt in.
Dear Today Why do you have to be so long and hectic: me chiro 8am, DD camp 10-2, gym practice 3-6, Meet the teacher 5-5:30, gym parent meeting 5:30, oh and I'm working between all of this. Me who needs to crawl back in bed and sleep my cold away
Dear Air Quality Can you please improve. Not seeing the surrounding hills just sucks. Miserable me PS it isn't even fire smoke it is just dust from the farmers up north plowing grass fields
Post by covergirl82 on Aug 28, 2019 12:46:25 GMT -5
Dear appliances,
DH and I were hoping you'd last more than 6 years. Between pieces breaking on the top rack rolling track (it's nearly immobile now) and the ice/water dispenser breaking after 2 years (and also the water line somehow breaking and causing a leak and $2000 of drywall damage, cleanup, and repair), I think we need to consider new appliances.
Signed, Happy to at least have savings to cover new appliances
Post by soccermama on Aug 28, 2019 12:54:55 GMT -5
Dear Body:
What is wrong with you??? Ughhhhhhh. Major upset stomach all night (not sure why, guess some sort of bug), and after all that still feel bloated as ever even after having no food, etc??? What is your problem. I cannot deal. I had to try on at least 3 outfits to get something that even halfway worked, so over it.
Just got a call from the school nurse that DD got stabbed with a pencil by another student. The other student was sent to the office for discipline and she's sure I'll get the whole story from DD tonight.
What The Fox ?
Signed, Feeling bad because I'm fairly certain she provoked but I shouldn't victim blame.
Dear WP, Ready to lose my damn mind if my employee rolls her eyes at me or someone else one.more.time. Yes, we are all asking you to do work that is in your job description. Yes, I may have feedback and edits. And YES there may be stuff that comes up last minute that you need to do. WELCOME TO LIFE. WTF is your problem?! Signed, How do I say that more diplomatically?
twinmomma , I have found that trying to say things diplomatically doesn't work. "I'm sorry, but do you realize that you just rolled your eyes at me? Is there something we need to discuss?"
And TBH, I didn't realize I was making bitchy faces at one of the men I work with until someone called me out on it. I've tried to do better about it once I became aware of it.
Side note: I edited myself there. No reason to apologize. I might (might not) add in any language there that would soften it and not sound so bitchy, but you get the point.
twinmomma, I'm no help at all. I hired someone that was going through a rough time. There is a person here that likes to ride people about things not being perfect and the combination pissed her off so much there was no professional behavior going on at all.
If I had spoke to her she would have quit immediately because in my mind that was absolutely not acceptable behavior. She was essentially growling at people. Another manager approached her more as a what is wrong in an e-mail which worked better for a little while. But ultimately if it kept going on, I was going to have to let her go.
Today marks 2 weeks of Kindergarten. And this is the 2nd call I've gotten from the school nurse because you were not paying attention, ran into something, and gotten a bruise on your head. Yes, it's minor stuff but since it's your head, you have to go to the nurse.
Pay attention and stop running into things. This is not the impression I wanted you leave at the "big" kids school. Thanks bunches.
twinmomma , I recently had to have this discussion with a second level report. I told him he may not be aware he’s showing every emotion he feels, but he needs to stop and get a handle on himself. Then I gave him three recent examples, including once when he rolled his eyes as if my suggestion were beneath contempt. He was pretty horrified, maybe just because I called him on it. But he’s improving. As for the extra work, I always point out it’s good in the scheme of things to be known as a go to person and someone who is a team player. And that the opposite holds as well. People who can’t pitch in and be flexible don’t fit into many organizations. Yes, that’s a thinly veiled threat. I’m good with that.
Just got a call from the school nurse that DD got stabbed with a pencil by another student. The other student was sent to the office for discipline and she's sure I'll get the whole story from DD tonight.
What The Fox ?
Signed, Feeling bad because I'm fairly certain she provoked but I shouldn't victim blame.
This was us last year. Except ds stabbed the other kid after she made fun of him and “said other mean things”. 5 months later a different girl stabbed ds and we shrugged our shoulders and said “karma?”
I may have to make it my mission to get you kicked out of our school in kindergarten. Last year, you spent every day telling my smart, loving, kind little boy that he was stupid. So much so that he believed he was stupid. You also told other kids they couldn’t play with DS. You are an awful human being who sucks the joy out of the world. And you are only five.
Yesterday DS came home and said you were pulling on his blanket and on him during rest time. We gave him a smaller blanket so you couldn’t grab it. He was thrilled today that you couldn’t get his blanket, but instead you spent the entire rest time whispering mean things to him. Including that he’s stupid. Tonight he had more tics than we have seen in months. Basically since he escaped your clutches when summer came around last May.
I’ve let your teacher know that you are back up to your old tricks. She is wonderful and I feel certain that she will put a stop to it. In the meantime, please be aware that I will regularly be bringing treats to the class that contain one or more of your many allergens. Because you are a terrible human being who deserves to suffer while watching other children enjoy wonderful snacks that you can’t eat.
Some people are born evil. You fit that description.
So according to DD, he did it lightly once and asked her if it hurt and she said no, but she didn’t like it, and then a few minutes later he did it again just to “see if he could make it hurt.”
She doesn’t seem very upset by it, and it turns out to just be a small scratch and bruise. Apparently the school nurse is intondramatics.
mommyatty, k3am, pretty sure she's aware. Her attitude has taken a significant downturn in recent months. She's basically mad at me for making her do her job better and step it up and not letting her go part time to focus on her side hustles. *insert my own eye roll here*
mommyatty, k3am, pretty sure she's aware. Her attitude has taken a significant downturn in recent months. She's basically mad at me for making her do her job better and step it up and not letting her go part time to focus on her side hustles. *insert my own eye roll here*
Mine knew it too. But I think the dynamic shifts when you say out loud “You are doing this. I see you doing this. And I’m not going to stand for it. There are about to be consequences for your childishness.” In my case, I gave him a Needs Improvement on the part of our evaluations that is the grown up version of a conduct grade.