Dammit. I came this close to making it two years. This close...
On June 1,2000, my ex slammed the tailgate on his pickup and drove off with his belongings. It wasn't a fun time but it wasn't a bad thing either. Anyway, he drove off entrusting me with the upbringing of our son and I think I've done a pretty decent job. Scott gets him every other weekend for the father-son fun thing and I'm charged with the discipline. That's fine by me too - at least his dad participates in his life. Lots of dads don't. I pride myself in being able to handle anything that comes up. C. and I are both short fused and hot headed so it's a miracle we're able to work things out without a full blown crisis intervention team on 24/7 standby.
Tonight's like any other night... too much to do and not enough hours to get it all done. I'm outside with the weedeater and he's on his bike. I inquire about the homework. He tells me it's done. I'm skeptical because well, he's 8 and skeptism is a must when dealing with any child, let alone an 8 year old. He finally admits he's still got a math paper... no, two math papers... no, four math papers. Fine. Math. Go do it.
I came inside later to check and he's got the playstation fired up. He's decided to wait and do homework after ball practice. Oh, I think not. Much shouting and door slamming ensue. I win. He'll do the math. But wait... there's spelling too. Oh shucks, he forgot his spelling words at school. 's okay son, you can do your math at school but you still aren't playing the playstation. Oh boy... more shouting. I retreat to my office for the ten count. (all parents know the ten count. it's saved many a child.)
He comes in the office and dumps his backpack to show me he has no pencil and therefore cannot do his math until tomorrow either. This is where I tell you that my child doesn't always engage his brain. He's not stupid. He just doesn't plan real well. See, when you dump your backpack to make a point you should make sure that the spelling list (you know, the one that was left at school) does not fall out of said backpack. He did not do this so when the spelling list hit the floor, he knew he was in deep. Rather than just acknowledge that his whole plan had failed due to poor planning and follow through, he blew up. At me. That ten count I referenced earlier... I was only on number six when this occurred. That's when it happened. That's when I said it.
