Yesterday was an interesting day, to say the least...
We were all up very early as Jack had to be ON the ice at 8am. That didn't sound so bad until I counted back the time we'd have to arrive to get dressed, then the time we'd have to leave the house to get to the rink, then the time we had to get up to be fed, dressed and ready to go... and suddenly it was a 6:15 wake up. Why is it easier to wake up early for hockey than for work?
I was sooo proud of Jack while he was playing. He SUCKS. Royally. He was the weakest player on the ice, by far, with the exception of one other player who was struggling just the same. He just can't skate well, having only really the experience of skating lessons for one year and most of the other boys have played hockey for years. They skated circles around him, literally. So why was I proud? He played. He stayed on the ice, he did all of the drills to completion, he volunteered to go first, he came off with a smile on his face and said he had fun. How awesome is he?
I had Lily with me yesterday as her parents were at a wedding Friday night. That meant that Jack had to give up his booster for PJ, and sit in the middle of the back bench in the car. Lily and AnnaWen had the five points, PJ and E had the boosters. Jack didn't like that. And he let me know in no uncertain terms. He refused to move out of his seat screaming at me "YOu can't make me!" and "I don't have to if I don't want to!" When he finally did move he screamed in PJ's and Elliot's faces when they tried to talk, he continued to scream at me. I pulled over to teh side of the road and ordered him out of my car. He stood sullen on the shoulder as I told him that if he wanted to get back in MY car he needed to change his attitude and show his family some respect. This sounded like a good idea, except the road I stopped on was too busy to leave him standing there by himself, so I had to stand there beside him which only gave him reinforcing attention. Finally he said he was ready to get back in and we went to Walmart.
At Walmart he announced he was not going in the store. I don't leave the kids in the car, period, so he WAS going in the store whether he wanted to or not. I ended up having to muscle him out of the car, and hold his wrist the whole time we were in Walmart. He pulled my thumb back trying to get me to release him (that HURT), he hit me with a rock in his hand, he kicked me he slapped me and he "bit" me (I use the term "bit" loosely b/c he knew that was not a good idea and never really chomped down, just put my hand or arm in his mouth and pressed lightly which is kinda laughable considering all the limits he had already pushed). He called me "idiotic" and said I was being "stupid" (both words that are less acceptable than fuck or shit in our house). He held onto the shelving as we passed, making me need to pull him along... UGH. And remember, I'm trying to sheppard four other kids aged 5, 3, 3, 3 as I'm doing this. I ignored all of his behaviour b/c I figured he was trying to get a rise out of me. I'm really wondering what onlookers thought :(.
I didn't find the hockey socks I needed (FOR HIM, the F'er!) so I went to a sports store. More of the same from him, more antics from the girls. At one point I looked up from the display I was searching for socks to find the three of them had crawled into a display of skates - the shoe boxes of skates were stacked, with a display skate on top of each. The teen aged boy sales associate was standing over the skates, arms out ready to catch any if they started to fall b/c he didn't want the girls to get hurt. Again, laughable at any other time. I got the socks I needed and took them to the cash only to find I didn't have my wallet. ARGH! The kid asked if I wanted them set aside, but I didn't think I could go out to the car and back in again with my flock of chickens.
I headed early to dance class, knowing there was a playground outside. Elliot and the girls played and Jack sat on a bench. He said he was ready "to be nice" so I explained to him that since he spent an hour and ten minutes being so nasty, he would need to spend an hour and ten minutes in time out sitting quietly. He didn't like that so he threw rocks at me. Unfortunately for him, he throws like his father, not like his mother, so it was easy to move out of his range and ignore him again. He finally settled into a quiet time out and earned his freedom after dance. I don't understand where this behaviour comes from. I can't describe how nasty and rude he was. MEAN really and malicious. It's so not like him. It doesn't even sound like him, it sounds like he's repeating things he's heard said elsewhere... I don't know why he gets so angry. It makes me sad, worried, hurt... And I don't know how to manage it. Truth is I can't make him do things. Right now I can muscle him from one place to another, but with his size, that will be short lived. I told him that unfortunately for him, as long as he lives in our house all the extra privilages beyond being clothed and fed come from me and are in danger of being removed if he is disrespectful, but at that time he didn't seem to care.
After dance we still had to find hockey socks and had to get fixings to make dessert at dinner so we went to Canadian Tire and the Superstore. He saw wood chips for guinea pigs at Canadian Tire and asked to get them for his cage. The truth is, I don't want to get the wood shavings until we're closer to the date of having the guinea pigs b/c they'll only cause unnecessary mess between now and then, but I told him I HAD planned to get them today... and he finished "but we can't b/c I was nasty?" RIGHT-O! Those are effective white lies for parents, right?
Having had my fill of single parenting for the day, we went to Kelly and Sean's "early" for dinner. Dinner was at 5:30, we were there a little after 1. We made KD that I brought for lunch, I made the dessert and Kelly and I sat around chatting then cut up the food for dinner fajitas (SOOO yummy!). Kamy need a ride at 5 so Kelly convinced Sean to stay with the kids while she and I went to get Kamy together. Less than an hour round trip, I figured it would be okay right? We arrived back to find Sean steaming in the back yard. He had come up to check on the kids in the yard only to find that "someone" had dumped the sand box on the patio and grass. Jack was down with him so that left Elliot, Paxten, AnnaWen and Lily the opportunity to do the deed. It's a HEAVY sandbox, and Lily is very slight, so I'm guessing my kids had a lot to do with it. Then to add insult to injury, after Sean showed them how to clean it up and was helping him to do so, Paxten poured sand in his hair. Nice. I don't think my kids will be staying with them again any time soon!
Dinner was delicious, the kids did have fun in spite of their poor choices. We got home after 8 and the girls were already asleep. The boys only lasted long enough to practice piano and read a chapter of Harry Potter.
SO today is a down day. I have some shopping to do, but we're demonstrating our civic right to be heathens and not go to church. Everyone is playing nicely this morning, and I'm gearing up energy to do the kitchen and laundry (always).
N
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