Friday
Mar232012
Full Confessional Friday!
Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7:42PM Mrs. G. 
Church, Pie Town, New Mexico by Russell Lee (1903-1986), no copyright.
Be it Venial or Mortal (there's no escaping Original), we've all got secrets -- light, dark, funny, sad -- worth bringing to light. The act of confession can be liberating, mollifying and entertaining. Contrition? Repentance? A shot of Tequila? That's your call, sister.
tagged Back Talk, Full Confessional Friday
Back Talk, Full Confessional Friday
Reader Comments (67)
I mentioned last week my husband had taken to shoving me. My kids and I moved in with a friend yesterday and I've told him I'm not going back until he and we get counseling. Thanks for all the support. I knew what I needed to do but needed a push. My family is coming through for me.
Willow, that is awesome news!
Willow,
So, so proud of you for screwing up your courage to move out with your children! And, I am so glad to read your family is supporting you!
Best news of the night, Willow. You are incredibly strong and brave. Glad the family is covering you. Thank you for the update!
Willow, yay! I'm glad your family is helping!
I'm so drunk right now I asked my mother to take my pants off for me. This is what happens when you vacation in eureka springs arkansas!
Jessie, I'm glad your family is taking care of you too! That is some mother love. Enjoy your vacation.
Willow - so thankful that your family has your back....and thank you for letting us know. It has been the message last week that stuck with me all week....
Confessional stuff: ruff week totally work related. I received my peer reviews, and while I scored very well....there were the "digs" that might be justified (if you had ever taken the time to know me, or the history...cause, sorry sista....you have been here like 2 weeks ?? you'd have a clue...but OH WELL)....and then having to take a test to determine my personality profile.....well. I just felt a bit cornered. I decided to take 2 vacation days. I don't take vacation. It was shocking to the bosses, but they said "ok"? So, I slept until 8:30....spent the day with my Mom....did a fun thing with hubby tonight and a bunch of friends, and have tomorrow off too!
The cool thing? I get to go out of town ON MY OWN...for a meeting until Saturday. I'm very excited to pack my bag...lollygag my way north out of town, check into the hotel, and am planning a wonderful afternoon of visiting a winery on my way!
My brother is coming into town - will miss him (totally ok)....but got the guest room all ready....and here it is after midnight and all I have to do is pack. This is a crappy week that is turning into a great weekend. I think I need to retire and do this more often! Call me selfish, but I'm happy the way things have turned out!
Willow - so glad you have taken the difficult and courageous step of moving out to protect yourself and your children. Even if your husband won't go for counseling, I'd like to gently suggest that you go ahead with counseling for yourself. You are deserving of the love and respect of a mutually healthy relationship and nothing less.
Willow, I am filled with joy over your news!
Thank you for taking this important step!
You are loved.
I am ignoring emails from a group I am a volunteer with until monday morning.
I started thursday morning my time, and there are already 11 emails waiting my attention.
I am calling it tough love...because no matter how much you do, they always want more. More time, more energy, more work.
Everyone else has times when they are unavailable...this is mine.
I need to compartmentalise more and not be the go to girl. (I use the term girl very loosely. ha!)
None it is urgent, just draining and stressful to always be the decision maker. I need to be able to switch off from it.
I have spoiled them by always being available.
This week I have declared 4 mental health holiday days...and it feels good.
Willow...good on you.
Diane Carol...I get it. I retired early from a career...but I think I've overcommitted, voluntarily. Geez.
Willow, good for you! You are very brave.
I'm on week 6 of The Endless Period. I'm only 38....why is this happening! I saw a new family practice doctor last week (a female this time.) Unfortunately, I'm not impressed. She insisted I had my annual exam in June so I wasn't due for an exam yet. (I didn't because I was moving halfway around the world and just didn't have the time to put my feet up in the stirrups.) After much prodding on my part, I eventually "assumed the position," but she still couldn't give me an answer as to why this is happening. I'm starting to feel like "The Difficult Patient" on Seinfeld. The only good thing about the appointment was that I did get a consult with a gynocologist (for something else all together) and I have an ultrasound scheduled for the beginning of April. This is very frustrating, but I'm very grateful to so many of you who posted last time that you've been through this too. I'm discovering it's not all that unusual, but just another one of those mysteries of womanhood that no one really talks about.
Willow, really pleased to hear you drew the line in the sand and it is great your family are now supporting you. Stay strong.
Diane Carol - go for it! A weekend of relaxing on the company's money, works for me.
My confession is that I am soooooooooo over being unemployed. Between lack of paid structure and my own inherent apathy I am so close to going backwards it is unbelievable. There is only so much cursory dusting and hoovering a girl can manage in a week.
Willow, you are so brave! Good for you, and I'm glad your family is standing beside you in this. I hope your husband agrees to counseling, but if he doesn't, I still think it would be good for you and your kids to talk to someone.
Littlemama, that's kind of scary. I presume they've ruled out fibroids? My mom had 4-6 week long periods and was becoming seriously anemic. She was finally diagnosed with benign fibroids and had a hysterectomy. I hope it's not an hereditary possibility, I can barely deal with 4 days, let alone 4 weeks.
It's been cool and rainy here for the past couple of days, and all I want to do is curl up in bed with a good book, TCM on the TV and intermittent napping. Alas, work calls. Happy weekend, Derfs!!
There have been four instances of real theft in my life (I mean apart from hiding my little brother's things from him as a form of subtle torture and revenge for him breaking my things). The first was when I was around 3 or 4. A little girl at nursery was showing off her little mermaid doll whose tail and hair changed colour in water. I'm not sure if I desperately wanted the doll or desperately wanted her to stop showing off (probably some combination of the two) but I quietly relocated that toy to the depths of my own cubby. It is probably still sitting in storage somewhere, amongst all of the barbie dolls my brother beheaded. The second instance was in college. I took some Doritos at Subway without paying for them. Intentionally, I believe I was trying to prove to my roommates that Subway had terrible stock control. The third time was purely accidental. I was shopping for new sheets, and I'd picked up some very cheap scrubbing cloths and something else that now escapes me. As I was reading the back of sheets packages, trying to determine fibre content and thread count and wishing they had a "long term softness" gauge, I must have mindlessly slipped the cleaning clothes into my tote back so I could hold up more sheets to compare. The bill was slightly off when I went to pay, and I didn't figure out why until I was in the car afterwards. I was too scared to go back and pay and felt guilty for months afterwards. Last night, I stole a miniature beer mug. I liked it. I doubted I would find it elsewhere, and really the bar seemed to have plenty of them--but that really isn't a justification. Its sitting in the sink now, waiting to be washed. It will probably make me smile every time I drink out of it.
Yay for Willow!
Willow, so glad to hear that you took that step - you are strong woman! And glad the fam is helping out.
Jessie....let us know how you feel today! LOL! Pounding head much? hehehe....been there....
aliltheif...wow. I'm not here to judge, but I could never do that. I saw my step daughter addicted to the thrill of stealing. I know it's a high but someday you will get caught. I just hope you are ready for the consequences when you get your ass busted.
We are leaving for Florida on Tuesday for 10 days. We haven't told our son yet. I have to pack his suitcase this weekend without him finding out...should be exciting. We will tell him Monday night. I can't wait! Have a great weekend Derfs!
Littlemama...I went through something similar a few years ago. I ended up having a uterine ablation, a day surgery where they burn out the inside lining of the uterus. I had some endometriosis, so just more than normal build up of tissue, plus some hormone imbalance. It was painful for a few weeks, but gladly I don't really have a period anymore, and hopefully by the time the lining grows back I will be in menopause and not have them anymore anyways. Don't give up - you will get an answer!
Well, the first chemo for my son went well, so far, he feels great!!!! It is such a relief that he's tolerating it and not sick. It has really relieved both my husband's and my own anxiety......I feel like I can breathe again. Thanks for all your well wishes.
My daughter and grand daughter moved in with me two years ago as of the 26th......at the first year mark when it was obvious she wasn't moving out, I drew the line in the sand and said that by April of this year, I'd like her to be on her own. While we have enjoyed each other's company and the baby is a joy (now that she's not an infant....I don't do infants well), my tidy, organized, self has been biting my tongue while living with my sweet, SLOPPY daughter....my basement looks like a tornado hit it. I decided that my NEW Year's resolution was to stop complaining and just stop going in the basement.....so great news is she is moving out next week. She found a place, it's cute, a good spot for her and her daughter.......and a fight did not cause her to go. I can't wait to get my house back. Not only is she leaving, she's taking my old furniture, dishes, towels, etc.....I am going to furnish her place and her best friends place (who are moving to the same complex) from my massive hoard. So, I'm purging, Spring Cleaning at the same time!!!!!! I am in the throes of OCD ecstacy.
So, again thanks for your support.....we'll take it week by week, but this was a good week.
Good golly, I hope it is not too obnoxious of me, the Derf little brother, too step in with a silly BUT TRUE full confession this Friday..in triple haiku form:
My grand confession?
I have filled a bureau
With my tee shirts.
Where two drawers
Held Snoopy, Mickey, Yankees
Tees, it is FIVE now.
Step one, admit it:
My name is Gary and I am
A tee shirt hoarder.....
Happy and healthy weekend to all, it is always so delightful to see the supportive foundation of this community in everybody's comments :)
Hey Gary, little bro, my Handyman has three BIG drawers full of tee shirts too so maybe it's a guy thing. After all, I have 75 pairs of shoes and only two feet.
Congratulations Gary, they say admittance is the first step to recovery ..... (winky face)
Trudy, I am so pleased he managed this first session so well. More power to his elbow.
Before I go and read all the confessions, I must tell you that I'm so SO SO proud of my little 8 year old son. He brought up the whole "birth control pill vs. Viagra funding" debate with me and ... oh, he's so wise for a little person.
If you're interested, read my post.
http://someofthismaybetrue.blogspot.com/2012/03/doonsbury-makes-me-realize-my-son-is.html
Littlemama: I went through the same thing when I was close to 41. A low-dose birth control pill straightened it out fairly quickly. I hope you are able to get some relief very soon and that it is nothing serious.
Willow: So proud of you! and happy that your family is being supportive of your decision.
Along the same lines, I recently met for drinks with a friend/former co-worker. In the past she mentioned in vague terms a former relationship that turned sour, which is why she left Texas for Colorado. Well, after a drink or two she decided to tell me all about it. This man had recently been in contact and visited a couple of times, and now she found herself falling for him all over again.
The kicker? Apparently it was an abusive relationship. She turned to me because she knew I would listen without judging. I have tried so hard to talk her out of getting involved again. She is hoping that he has changed but I'm skeptical. Already she has visited him once in Texas and last weekend they met in Vegas (I was SO worried she would come back married but thankfully her inner voice told her "no"). I don't want to abandon her, since she seems unable to tell anyone else about their history. She is convinced that he is "the one" and I can't seem to get through to her that she deserves better.
Any advice?
Aliltheif, I'm not going to judge, but I will share this with you. My MIL has a serious shop-lifting problem. She has been busted twice that I know of, and becuase of one of those arrests, she had to go to court, pay fines, pay to attend a shoplifting diversion class and has been put on probation. That was all over some small items that totaled less than $150. Some states take shoplifting very seriously, and the temporary rush you get may not be worth it.
Deborah, my best friend was in the same situation years ago. I begged her and begged her to think twice about marrying her 'soul mate' because he was a voilent alcoholic. They were together over 10 years and things came to a head when he held her at knifepoint and threatened to kill her. She STILL would have stayed, even after that, but it was only when her family gave her an ultimatum of either stay with him or risk losing your daughters and your family, did she get the courage to leave him. It's very hard for some women to leave, because they feel like they'll never find anyone else, or they have nowhere else to go. A lot of times, they feel that way because their partner has torn down their self-esteem. Give her the names and phone numbers of local women's shelters or let her know that she can stay with you if necessary. Offer to keep 'emergency info' for her- copies of her SS card, driver's license, other important papers, etc. It's difficult to see someone you love and care about make a bad decision, and all you can do is just be supportive.
Brava Willow! Well done, and good luck with the next steps. And Yay Diane Carol for taking care of yourself. Trudy - have fun cleaning. I'm sure it will feel great.
I want to share that the meeting with school went very well. Dr. was gentle but extremely firm that my son is vulnerable, and the school isn't doing a good job of proactively protecting him. His biggest point was that the onus of watching and reporting shouldn't be on the victim. I get to go into the classrooms and do a little teaching about Asperger's and bullying in general. I'm wary, but pleased with the direction we're going in. My confession: people keep talking about my son being "disabled" and I want to scream. He's a bright, articulate kid who has a wide variety of interests and yes, he goes on-and-on about things that interest him, but if I didn't tell you he has Asperger's, you'd probably just think he is a geek. I can't decide if I'm unreasonable, or people are too excited about labeling my kid. I'll work my way through it. (And on the super plus side, I've lost TWENTY pounds watching what I eat. Yay me!)
Thanks for all the support you guys. I haven't been sharing with my IRL friends because they're too removed, and somehow I feel closer to you. Weird, but true. Have a great weekend.
Well, I'm not proud of myself one little bit. Near the end of the day my boss gave me a mild reprimand, and I stewed about it the whole commute home, and when I got home I picked a fight with my husband. The whole time I was observing my mood and how it was motivating me, but I just couldn't resist being a sulky jerk when I got home.
Diane Carol--good for you! You deserve a vacation. Your work should have known better than to implicitly trust someone who has only been there for two weeks.
ilyana--your son sounds really cool. I hope the school can step up and do their part, you're definitely doing yours!
Head pounding a plenty here! It doesn't help that the hotel we're staying in is haunted and we went on the ghost tour last night. I awoke at 3 am (my bedside lamp still on) and couldn't go back to sleep until 5. However, I do know there are no more Pamatinis in my future. And my mother is going to enjoy telling that story for years to come.
Kelley: Thanks for the great advice. I have a feeling she is not sharing how bad it really was, plus she believes she deserved his wrath on at least one occasion. So long as he is still in Texas and she's here, I suppose I still have a chance to convince her otherwise. I don't know the guy but he sounds manipulative and controlling, at least to me.
I have a friend who is seeing a married man and sees nothing wrong with it and what make me the saddest/maddest is that she doesn't see that she deserves more and better. There is so much more to the clusterf*ck of her life-cause you know mine is perfect!-that I cannot write that makes the adultery seem like a cakewalk. Why are some women so stupid? And why do they teach their daughters the same things?
Willow-yeah!
Diane Carol--enjoy!
little mama--call the gyno, tell them the situation, see if you can get in sooner. been there. ugh.
My house is a dirty and needs to be cleaned, my back is killing me and I am not sure I can pull it off but the house will be clean by Monday.
Happy Weekend Derfs. Love this place.
Yay, Willow! Yay Ilyana! Yay Trudy! Good luck Littlemama. Deborah, tell her nobody EVER deserves to be hit. Period. Men don't hit because they're deeply passionate, but because they are out of control glassbowls.
I have been getting through the past few weeks with alcohol. No more than one drink a day, and only when H is in the house. I don't long for alcohol but need the edge off. He's moving out in two weeks.
I am going away for the weekend by myself, to hang out with some smart and interesting people who have never met H. I have not done a damn thing to get the house/kids ready with stocked fridge, clean laundry, play dates. You want the kids on the weekends? Fine. Making bets with myself about how many meals they will eat out.
I don't know which grad school to go to. School A is top in the country, option of doing some classes online, but $$$$$. School B is adequate. I've already paid off one set of student loans and am afraid of crippling debt, but also afraid of missing out on the contacts and better program at School A.
Anger feels better than grief at the moment.
My oldest son has decided to trash his GPA. He failed english this quarter, and got a D in Spanish.
This is going to a fairly painful lesson for him, methinks.
Not due to drug use or anything - mostly just a sense of entitlement (How the HELL did my kid get that mentality) and laziness.
Sigh.
Alilthief:
You don't sound like a kleptomaniac to me. You just sound like a regular person who has:
Been a silly kid with a grudge
Been an attitudinal teen/young adult who was showing off
Been absent-minded
and
Just had a selfish moment, and has a sense of the silly.
Geez. Just don't knock off a bank and prove me wrong, ok?
You see, my ,.... a close friend, shall we say, has a similar attitude, and has stolen a plate from his very favorite restaurant (as a sign of love), and chopped down a tree that was in line to be destroyed anyway, and then he put it up in his living room and decorated it with fairy lights. And, hell, I've walked out of a store with an armload of pants draped over my arm THAT I TOTALLY FORGOT WERE THERE. The clerk followed me and raised her eyebrow at the pile. I said, "Um. Whoops. I had those on there so long I didn't feel them anymore." She shook her head and carried the pile back into the store, no harm done.
And? I stole my best friend's pink chalk as a child. I did it, and Denise, I'm sorry. It was me.
Bravo to Willow, Diane Carol and ilyanna! I love stories of things getting better, I wish all Derfs the best.
My confession is more of an over-sharing, but that's allowed in this place right?
For all of you who thought sardines were gross: You haven't known their full grossness potential until you've puked them up. They're so far worse on their way back out. Ugh :/
My smart but stubborn 19yo surprised us by doing well his first semester of college. Not stellar grades, but really he did quite well, despite being a terrible procrastinator (which, coupled with ADD and mild Aspergers, is a huge speedbump in his life). Then he stopped taking his ADD meds when they ran out because he wanted to prove he could succeed without them. He doesn't really see any use in taking something when he honestly doesn't see or feel a difference.
SO...... midterm grades were out right before spring break. He's still getting A's in 2 of his classes, but he's failing two other classes (plus he had to drop one earlier in the semester). We did manage to get him back on his medication (much easier to do than anyone led us to believe) but without a miracle, he's definitely out of the Honors program and he may end up flunking out of college. *sigh*
@navhelowife - I'm not doubting you -- and obviously I feel some of your pain -- but have you considered that your son has trouble focusing in/on those classes? Either from lack of interest or due to other factors?
Willow, you did it! Kudos for taking the hardest step! (And what an unexpected bonus to get support from your family.)
Coming in after so many, it's hard to give individual shouts, but I'm cheering and groaning with the rest of you.
No confessions today. I'm living whole-heartedly today and have no shame!
I am getting on my own nerves. I am 35 and feel like I have the libido of a 17 yr old boy.... in a stable monogamous marriage where my partner is no longer a 17 yr old boy. I would never be unfaithful, but the things that go through my mind... really. I feel like I'm too old for this.
I'm so tired of being a mom today. My kids have stopped napping and I've lost the teeny tiny bit of alone time I ever got consistently. I homeschool, which I love doing, but at the moment I'm regretting it just because if my kids went to school I could count on some time without them. I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I'm dreading the next few weeks because on the 9th, my husband leaves town for work for 3wks which means that for 3wks I get to consider myself lucky if I get to close the door to go pee. My idea of a vacation right now is for my husband and kids to take off for a week and leave me the house to myself, something that I'll be lucky if it happens before my children are in college.
Karen, at our university, students who fall below the required GPA for the honors program are given one semester to bring the GPA back up. All may not be lost.
Willow, I am so glad you took the first steps...you are to be commended.
My confession, I want to reach out and help a student in need, but my partner isn't being supportive on the home front. I understand it, but it goes against everything I believe in. I love him (my partner), but I can't help but think if he wasn't here this would be a no brainer for me. I am torn. How much of me am I really giving up?
@anonymous--I've read in several sources that women hit their sexual peak in their 30's, so really, you're just the right age for what you're feeling. I'm sorry your partner isn't on board. Maybe there are some...uh...marital aids you might invest in?
@Willow--congratulations and stay strong. I hope things work out for you for the best whichever way that goes.
Today my 3 year old was stabbing the kid next to him with his fork during lunch. When the child asked him to stop, my son laughed and kept on stabbing him. When the teachers in the room disciplined him, he laughed and thought they were joking. I had to sign a paper stating that I was made aware of the behavior and, I assume, is documentation for if many other incidents happen they can throw us out. Please, someone reassure me I'm not raising a psychopath. I had a stern talk to him when I picked him up and he looked remorseful, but I really just want to raise a good kid and this feels like it's not normal.
Willow - That is GREAT news! Whatever the outcome is you did the best thing by protecting you and your children!
Karen - I know that the University I attend that if you have 1 bad semester you aren't automatically kicked out - you may get put on Academic probation depending on your overall GPA and then if you have another bad semester then you may get kicked out. I would definitely encourage him to talk to his adviser and see what they can do for him in terms of being a student with learning disabilities - I know that at my school they have special tutoring and alternative test taking options (for FREE!) they just have to be inquired about. Hope that this bit of info is encouraging and gives y'all some ideas on how to continue getting him back on track!
As for me - This has been one hell of a week. Came home from vacation late Monday and had the two worst flights of my life. Internet didn't work on Tuesday for some unknown reason so I wasn't able to do any school work because all of my courses are online and as of now still don't have any of it done. Wednesday was filled with production night for the school paper in which I'm a copy editor and yesterday and today and tomorrow are or will be filled with throwing a baby shower for my brother's ungrateful girlfriend that is a financial leach on him. My room looks like a bomb has exploded and I have worn at least 1 piece of dirty clothing everyday this week because I haven't had the time to do laundry since I got home. I'd love for sleep and some relaxation on Sunday but my day will be full of the a fore mentioned homework so that I don't end up on academic probation next semester. I'm having a ridiculously difficult time balancing advancing my career while focusing on school and doing all the other crap that needs done in daily life such as looking for an apartment that I can afford since I'm moving in 9 weeks and haven't begun to pack and while I've been searching for a place I can afford I haven't found anything
(Worse sentence structure/grammar usage/etc. ever but when ranting it's so much easier to not worry about that sort of stuff.)
@Alilthief - I agree with kate - you don't sound like a kleptomaniac to me.
@Heather in Oregon - I know the feeling. Sometimes just a little change - like insisting on not hearing ANY of their voices after 8 PM - can help a lot. Also, make sure you have homeschooling friends. That makes it much easier.
So excited I get to go visit my sister and help her husband celebrate a big b'day this weekend. Bonus: I get to see my niece and nephew and their spouses. Super duper bonus I get to see my sister's grandaughter who is A-dorable.
Had a great interview with a recruiter last week. Focusing on leaving a toxic work situation.
The colonoscopy last week went fine and the polyp biopsy was non-cancerous so all is well.
Happy weekend Derfs. Hope all is well with all of you.
Lisa L - Your son is very young and one incident like this is certainly not an indicator of problems. I do have a little experience with this though, via a younger friend who has a 6 year old daughter.
What my friend found was that the behaviour she thought her daughter would grow out off, those odd incidents, began to form a pattern. Her daughter cannot relate to the pain of other people or their problems. She seems to have no sympathy for anyone in distress. She is rarely affectionate even with her own family, unless there is a benefit to her.
A year ago she had her daughter referred to a counsellor who is teaching her better behaviour patterns, and they are watching carefully.
What seemed like selfishness, may be a personality disorder.
Lack of empathy is a serious issue.
I would try to have him understand how the other child must have felt about being hurt.
Don't be too disturbed by one incident, but now your parent alarm is activated just be aware of other signs.
Good luck, and I hope it's truely just a stage.
Bought a top today at the winery....(bedazzled parrot)...."screw the crackers...polly wants wine". Tell me ladies....how could I NOT buy it?????
Just home from a hockey game. Fun night, but loud. I am done with loud for the weekend, thanks.
Had my fill.
Karen - oh, I totally think he has some ADD issues. His middle brother really and truly does, and it does seem to cluster in families...
BUT..he's just on that border where diagnosis is tricky. We'll see what some stricter parenting does, and go from there.
@Diane, you would have been crazy NOT to buy it! Wear it proudly sista!
@Willow, good for you. That took a lot of courage and it's great that you have the support. Stay strong!
To those with college kids that are screwing up at the moment, I feel every bit of pain with ya. Mine had an academic full ride scholarship and totally flunked the whole semester because she feels it's a waste of her time. And thinks living with the boyfriend and working is what she should be doing right now.
And this has been spring break and it's done nothing but rain and be yucky all week and I wasn't able to do diddly shit with my youngest daughter.
Plus, after having a really nice day with the DH, it has dawned on me that our days go along swimmingly as long as I don't disagree with him! It was like a light bulb went off this evening after some pissy attitude came out. So now I'll be really paying attention to that for the next little while to see if I'm correct. And if we could only get the used/new to us fridge working that would be a big relief.
On the up-side, my MILs lung cancer has responded well to the radiation and only has 2 more rounds of chemo to go thru and she's handling it really well.
Have an awesome weekend all you wonderful women! And you too Gary!
I am in Illinois this weekend watching my lovely daughter get tattoos that in a lovely way cover the heavy scars of the "cutting years." A transformation that comes 8 years after the damage. Full circle for my girl. She is getting flowers and sedums tattooed across the thighs in this lovely pattern and array. Delicate, colorful, and well arranged. The woman doing the tattoos is an artist and I am in awe. A long way to come (we live on the west coast) and a couple of really long days (11 hour sessions each day) but so worth it. She can wear dresses without tights now... She can go to the water...
Life is a constant transformative experience...
Wicked awesome. A place where I just may fit in... Confessional. After 30 years of living with an overwhelming desire to "go to college" and waiting until hell started to freeze over (kids grown. home life relatively stable. work solid. relationship strong. opportunity available.) I'm 10 weeks into my first college class, Eng Comp 101. I hate it. Hate the constant deadlines, the time suck, the structure, the other students who are not even trying, therefore wasting my time reading and responding to their crap responses, and lastly the topics we've been given so far. I feel so let down and discouraged. This week, I deliberately chose not to submit my outline, each night I've done everthing BUT my schoolwork. And worse, I'm doing it because I know I can do the work half-butted and still keep my A grade.
Willow, best of luck. Be stalwart. I love your self awareness: I knew what I needed to do but needed a push.
Caro -- I'm sorry, but you made me laugh out loud. Hope I never share that experience.
Heather -- I'm not a homeschooler but I TOTALLY sympathize. I have been known to put my kids to bed an hour early to buy some quiet time. Is there a place in your house where you can safely park them in front of a (carefully chosen, ad-free) TV show and walk away for 30 minutes? I swore I'd never do that, but electronic devices are my friends . . . Another option is to hire a neighborhood teen to watch the kids outside for a couple of hours so you can have the house to yourself, and they're not allowed indoors unless it's an emergency. It sounds drastic, but sometimes you just need a little downtime. Good luck!
Lisa -- advice from someone who's been in a similar situation. Trust your gut. Take a deep breath and ask yourself if you've seen any sort of a pattern of "odd" behavior. Don't be afraid to take him to a counselor for evaluation. If your child is different, the sooner you know the sooner you can provide him (and yourself, and his teachers and any other caregivers) with the tools and support he/they need. And know this: the fact that you are aware and uncomfortable is a sign that you are a GOOD PARENT. You are obviously engaged and caring, and you're doing a GREAT JOB. I'm sure your son is a loving and lovable child. He just may need a little help getting in sync with the typical world, and the sooner you find the help, the happier and healthier you all will be. Good luck. And I mean it about you being a good mom.
Mainly, comp 101 is a throw away class sadly enough. The topics an responses get better. Are you in an adult focused program? Hang in there!