For those who know me, they know I don’t really deal well with drama. Generally, I just don’t have the patience for it. Do I sympathize when something sad or bad is happening? Of course! But when things are made up or made out just to induce sympathy or drama, I just don’t get involved…or really anything. For this reason, I find the following story rather hilarious. Well, to me anyway, probably not to my poor, unsuspecting, emotional, children. (haha)
So on a Monday morning a couple of weeks back, Graigg was out of town and I needed to get into the office and get some work done. The kids did not have school and so I thought it would be a great idea to give them a small list of things to do and then when I got home (mid-day was the plan) then we could do some fun things. Jo wanted me to paint her room. Campbell wanted to go run errands with me, etc. Well, here is what happened about 30 minutes after I got into the office.
Phone call
Me: (Hmmmm it’s the house, hope everything is okay.) Hello?
CW: Hi mom? Um, JoJo is crying because I asked her to help me get breakfast and she said no and I told her she was being mean.”
Me: Okay, can you just get your own breakfast and leave Jo alone, I gave her a list of things to do and she is probably trying to do them.
CW: Okay. Bye.
*15 minutes later*
Text message from JO: Everyone hates me
Response: Just ignore Campbell and get your work done and be happy!
*10 minutes late*
Phone Call #2
Me: Hello….
CW: Mom? I feel like I’m Harry Potter and everyone here is The Dursleys
Me: Have you done the (3) things I asked you to do?
CW: No.
Me: Why don’t you focus on your work and just not let anything bother you.
CW: Okay but Jo is crying again.
Me: Okay, bye
Text Message from Mallea:
Why is everyone mad at me? I just want to do my school work!
My response: Just don’t let it bother you and get your work done sweetie.
Mallea: Okay
Text Message from Jo:
Campbell is being REALLY mean and all I did was ask him for some help!
My response: Okay please just focus on your work and please just try to be the better person and be nice?
Jo: Okay
Phone call #3:
Me: HELLO!?!?!?!
CW: Mom? Mallea is mad at me and Jo keeps crying and I just feel like I can’t do anything right!
Me: Have you done the (3) things on your list?
CW: ….no….
Me: Okay why don’t you just worry about that and NOTHING ELSE.
CW: Okay bye
Yes, folks, this was my ENTIRE morning and early afternoon. I did NOT go home until closer to 2. Why? Well, would YOU want to be home with 3 kids being emotional and dramatic and crying?!?!? I thought not.
I FINALLY pulled in to the garage and counted to 20 about 20 times before walking into the house. LOL
Oh yes, there had been weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Okay maybe not that last part. But man was the drama and the crying at an all time high! FINALLY everyone got calmed down and I gave them the guilt trip of their lives for not being helpful good children under the stress of dad being out of town. Yep…made them cry again. Then we hugged it out. I told them that they couldn’t get what they wanted because they didn’t do their lists in the manner that I expected. However, I was not a complete shrew. I ran a few errands in Liberty. Went by Michael’s and while I was there I bought some fun little trinket toys I thought they would like. The evening was fine. Then, at about 7:30 Jo came to me and said she was tired. I looked at her and I said, “I’m sure you are! You’ve been crying all day and you look like it too!” She did! lol They all slept rather soundly that night. 3 emotional preteen, teenagers in this house. I think I need to make a “crying room” so that I don’t have to hear all the dramatics that will be going on for the next 8 years. HAHA!
