My kids and notes: Year 8.5
July 25, 2023
Life with JB
JB’s been fuming about unfairness in the world. The kids who don’t follow the rules at school are infuriating. The kids who are jerks are infuriating. The landlords who don’t clean appliances for their new renters are infuriating.They’re formulating their sense of the world and while they themselves are not in fact a super conscientious rule follower, they’re keenly alert to other people breaking the rules.It feels like a tough needle to thread. I get very upset about unfairness in the world and sometimes it turns me into a very grumpy person.
This made me laugh. If you’ve been reading these since JB was born, you understand. We try our darnedest to gentle parent even though JB just pushes every button we have and some we didn’t know we had. We don’t always succeed.
Life with Smol Acrobat
Smol’s got a few chores of their own now: clearing the table after dinner, restocking the toilet paper in the bathrooms, and helping JB put away some laundry now and again. The last one isn’t assigned by us, that one is because JB tricks them into thinking it’s a game to get some help.
I’m on the fence about how I feel about that, comes of having a Loki-type brother who would Tom Sawyer me into doing his dirty work. But since Smol will also have to learn to do and put away laundry when they’re older, I come down on the side of allowing it.
I’m surprised it’s taken them this long to realize they can slip both hands into the new toilet paper rolls and go to Punching Town like a tiny Mega Man though. I think JB figured that one out almost immediately. They’re getting quite good at stacking the toilet paper rolls very high without toppling over.
Well, when you put it that way…
Pupdate
Sera has been noticeably more clingy since December, and even more so when the kids are home. Their volume makes her nervous and she wants to hide behind my legs a lot. She’s not scared of them, though. She’s happy otherwise, and not anxious generally. I’m guessing she doesn’t like not knowing if the yelling is happy or upset. I remind her I can’t tell either, until I clearly hear crying, but that doesn’t reassure her.She and Smol Acrobat reached a small milestone. They ordered her into the garage when we were all getting ready to go out. She understood the command and obeyed! Seamus would never have deigned to obey any commands that toddler JB issued, but when they spoke clearly enough, Sera would.
Precious Moments
JB: this kid at school hates cocomelon. And when I said I like to watch it with my little Smol Acrobat, he said WHAT?? I HATE COCOMELON!!
Me: huh. What’d you say?
JB: I said no one’s making you watch it. I like it so I watch it with my family. It’s not hurting you.
I was volunteering childcare for a toddler last week and sympathizing at how strange it must feel as a tot to wobbly-walk into a new room with your beloved parent, the other half of your self-dyad – and then they just LEAVE YOU there, helplessly dependent on a complete STRANGER! No warning, not much of an explanation or introduction, & no chance to have a vote. Even an adult might freak out in that kind of situation!
It sounds hilarious watching Sera obey the pint-sized overlord. Hopefully Smol only uses their newfound powers for good! š