I’m mad at you, love your daughter
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My kids like writing notes. I don’t know if that’s standard operating procedure for a kid who’s six or older, but this is how it works at my house.
When my kid learns to write and phonetically spell words she starts to leave notes around the house. Most of the time they’re generic and say, “Hi Mom” or “Hi Dad.”
But occasionally they reveal her most inner thoughts. Mr. C recently received one of those notes.
It was bed time and things were chaotic, as usual. No one ever wants to go to bed at night except me. My kids get a second wind and we have to constantly tell them, “It’s bed time! Get in bed!” Then I chant, while clapping to the beat, “B-E-D-T-I-M-E; bed time! Bed time!” Roughly 70% of the time we issue threats.
The other night did not vary from that script. They brushed their teeth, we yelled, the ran into each other’s rooms and we yelled some more.
Finally things calmed down and we all headed into actual slumber. Then the following note appeared under our door.
It says:
Yes you yelled at
me and
now I am mad
at you!
(graphic shows her angry face)
Love, Allison
I absolutely love that expressive face, complete with angry eyebrows. It’s not the frown that makes that face angry; it’s the furrowed eyebrows.
I also enjoy the fact that she signed the note with love.
Mr C apologized, she laughed while she said, “I don’t accept your apology,” and everything was cool again in the morning. I’m guessing she won’t learn to hold a grudge until she’s a teenager.
Tags: Things I over analyze, Things on which I have an opinion
Why is it kids never learn that their cooperation would alleviate the need for parental yelling and cajoling at bedtime. We are well-familiar with this scene at our house, too. I will say it has gotten better since school started. Trevor is more eager to go to bed so he can awaken to another school day and Sean goes along (most nights). We do still have nights of continuous bathroom needs however … I’m thinking, “what do we need to do, eat dinner at 4????”
Love Allison’s note. I can’t wait to receive little notes from the boys. Trevor mainly writes books. Yesterday’s was “The Secret Key,” about two kids who have a secret key but can’t figure out what it opens.
My favorite bit of childish scrawl here is on one of our children’s Bibles. When Bryce was about 7 he decided to pen a message along the edge of the pages (I mean along the spine of the book – nice thick book, all that white, just begging for a message, right?), “I hate Dad!” – Lovely!!
That’s awesome about the note on the spine of the Bible. And it actually makes me feel better about her most recent journal entry for school no less.
What makes me mad:
When Katie hits me. When Emily hits me. When Mom slaps me and when Dad slaps me.
Can’t wait to get the call from the teacher.
Does her hair actually stop at one side like that?
I love how she writes “AT YOU” in really big letters to emphasise her point.
Yes sir. It’s the anti-gravity cut :)
Yes, I enjoyed that and the humongous exclamation point on the side of the page. I should have colored that one in, too.
I saw that but couldn’t work out what it was. Too big, I guess, for me to wrap my head round.
Neeed moooore coooofffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeee.
In all honesty it took me a few minutes to figure out what that circular, scribbled ball was. And then I saw the line above it and it became clear.
I like the pink outlining.
That bedtime fight is so foreign to me. I remember my mother making sure we brushed our teeth, but she didn’t really care if we went to bed or not as long as we were quiet. If we didn’t wake her up, no problem. I never did, because I’m still pretty sure she would have tanned my hide if I had. I’d say I normally went to bed around 9 on my own.
And I hope your procedure goes well today.
I actually added the pink outline, just to make it pop on the post.
Tell me about it! Bedtime at my house was this: I was quiet as a mouse, fell asleep on the couch and my sister dragged me into my room where I crawled under the blankets and went to sleep. Period.
Just got back, actually, and it wasn’t bad. I only needed two Valium (not the third) and it really did not hurt much at all. My hose are not too tight and I can walk just fine.
It’s a win-win, jack.
I was all like what’s up with me not getting a follow up email, yo? You got spammed. Just a little fyi.
A win-win? I’m thrilled Layla got her punk ass kicked to the curb with nary a hitch.
Wait, didn’t you get an email that had my reply? I thought it sent it automatically when the box was checked. I even personalized my standard message to add VIP Lounge and gingah.
Yes ma’am. The worst part was the anticipation and waiting to drink coffee.
I like the Gingah part. I’m sure that’ll have people searching through the terminology. And I love the notification.
Gmail sent it to my Spam folder without consulting me. Hence me being all, Yo, waddup with that?
YAY! (Jumps up and claps her hands down like a toddler jacked up on sugar.) I would be so jacked if the word Gingah made it onto the Google trends list.
It won’t, but it would still be awesome. Oy. Just did a Google search on Gingah and some dude has a band named More Gingah and he dominates. I went through six pages and did not see my name. Grrr.
When I was abour 8 or 9, we had to cancel our family holiday as my Dad’s boss wouldn’t let him have the time off. Well I wrote in my best hand writing a ranty note about how it wasn’t fair that Dad wasn’t allowed the time off work and I promised that Dad would work really hard the rest of the time if he could have the week off.
I think my Dad just showed his boss because it was really funny rather than because it was serious lol.
I remember the bed time fight – for about 3 years I had symptoms similar to insomnia hence why my reading age was about 2 years in front because I’d read until I fell asleep.
Man, I wish my kids would read themselves to sleep. My oldest one does (10) but my seven year old is not into it.
That’s actually cool that your dad showed his boss. Too bad it didn’t influence the boss to let your dad have the time off.
I love that she signed it “Love Allison” also.
Bedtime sucks. Plain and simple. Our worst times are nighttime baths. So much that
we have switched to morning baths. For us it’s like, “USE THE POTTY” and the daughter will just keep talking about something. “JUST USE THE POTTY!” more talking. Finally she uses the potty. Then “FLUSH AND WASH YOUR HANDS” more talking.” “FLUSH AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!!” etc.
Like you said, things are always cool again in the morning.
Gah! One of my mantras about this house is, “Did you flush and wash your hands?”
Blank stare.
“Did you? Did you flush and wash your hands?”
Small smirk.
“You need to flush and wash your hands.”
“I did.”
“If I walk into the bathroom will I see that you flushed the toilet?”
Quietly turns and walks back into the bathroom to flush and wash her hands.
And 9 times out of ten, toilet not flushed and hands still dry.
The bad thing is this happens when we’re late somewhere. A 3 minute bathroom stop becomes 30 minutes.
Amen on the dry hands. The only time she actually offers her hands for me to check them is on the rare occasion that she washed them. Usually they’re behind her back, dry.
What the hell man? Are kids immune to the fear of nasty germs? Apparently the answer is yes. YUCK.
OMG! That’s too funny! I don’t remember my kids ever doing that. You HAVE to save that and scrapbook it for when she’s older!
I know, I laughed my head off when I saw those brows. She. Is. Pissed!
That drawing is hilarious. I think it’s a really funny sign of the times to see a mother posting a scanned picture of her daughter’s drawing online for the viewing pleasure of her blog audience. Can you imagine what it will be like for Allison years down the line when she’s old enough to visit your blog, and to read all of the comments people are leaving? As far as I’m concerned, we’re all treading in untested waters. Welcome to Bizarre-O world, Allison! Now listen to your mother and get some sleep!
I do wonder what they’ll think when they see the things I’ve written about them. I like to think they’ll see me as a person rather than just their mom. However I *know* they’ll be able to relate once they have kids. Can’t. Wait. For karma to show up. I’ll be eating popcorn by the handfuls when that show starts.
The Prodigal Blogger returns…. with a NEW BLOG, even! Can you email me, so I can get YOUR new addy, if I promise to actually comment again regularly when I visit?
I have been redigitized once again, and must find my new calling online. Your help may be essential, Wonder Twin…
Yay-yeah! You’re BACK!! I swear I’ve been thinking of you recently. Not enough to do jack about it, but you’re in my thoughts :)
You can have my email address without the promise to comment. Here it comes…
I just realized I should have signed that comment, “Love, Les”. I think Allison knows how to get back in your good graces better than I…
So…
Love, Les
(Really.)
Awesome. Just seeing your face there has put you in my good graces.
Love,
Cardiogirl
We were big note leavers in my family. I still am but I am guessing my brother stopped at least one of his note habits:
We shared a bathroom and in my teens, I would often step out of the shower to discover that my slightly younger brother had previously written something on the mirror about whomever I was dating at the time: I hate Eric! or Jeff is mean! The messages only showed up when the mirror steamed up. I was pretty surprised he cared since our parents were quite blase about my high school relationships.
On the ‘graphics for enhanced impact’ subject- when my grandmother passed away I found a letter I’d written to her from Girl Scout camp (I was 9 or so) stashed in her things. I was apparently quite homesick and was telling her how I missed her so much and was crying all day and night. For effect, I dampened the page with my “tears” but only the word crying. I’m not sure what I though Grandma who lived 800 miles away, and probably didn’t get the letter until after I was back home anyway, was going to do about it.
That. Is. Awesome! I’m going to start leaving my kid notes on the mirror when she’s in the shower.
And that was quite ingenious, I must say, that you were able to isolate the tears on just the word crying. Well done, nine-year-old Courtney.
That has to be the cutest note EVER. Aw!!!!!!!
PS: I’m sorry if my comments are sucky today. I think I am still suffering from the residual effects of percocet!
They’re not sucky. I still think my head is a little bit fuzzy from taking Valium at 9 this morning (it’s almost 7 pm.)
Oh yay! Then we are on the same wave length!
Yes we are, except *this* morning I am drinking a damn tasty cup of hot java. Coffee how I love thee.
mmmmmm! Coffee!
It truly is delicious to me. It was so awesome brewing pot number two today.
The problem is, you’ve fallen into their bedtime trap. As long as you’re willing to yell and carry on, they are getting attention, which what they really want. Find something that they really don’t want to have to give up and use that for leverage.
Or remove all forms of entertainment from their rooms and for every minute they delay bedtime, they have to spend an equal time in their boring rooms after school the next day. Works wonders, and you don’t lose your voice from yelling.
The great thing about the note was the dreaded, “I hate you” hasn’t shown up yet. That’s come at around age 12.
Tarheel, you are a genius. Time in their rooms the next day after school is a fantastic fix. I think that’s one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received.
The absolute best piece of advice I’ve ever received (the one that works almost every time) is this: when they argue and come to me to referee I tell them, “If you two cannot figure it out you will *both* get time out.”
You know, you could always slip a note under her door that says “Yes, you didn’t go to bed when I told you to and now I’m MAD AT YOU !”. Don’t forget to draw the frowning picture of yourself and sign “Love Mom”. :-)
Excellent idea, Nicky!
You know what missy? You’ve just earned the Gold Star of the Day. You caught me by surprise and made me laugh.
It was like an unexpected blow to the head except I don’t have brain damage and I’m not writhing on the ground in pain.
Well done, my friend.
Really? Really, REALLY?! For me? Thank you!!
Yes, just for you Nicky. It will need periodic shining however. I’m working on a shoestring budget over here.
Cracking up! We also have note writers over here. I have a stack of them from Zach that still crack me up when I read them. I may have to break them out and make a post out of it.
I can also see that she gets her doodling skills from you.
And bedtime over here? HATE. IT. Worse time of the day as far as I am concerned. I am tired, have no patience, and the younger 2 like to tear it up. I can tell you that it does get better cuz my oldest two pretty much take care of themselves (except for the fact that my 8 yr old can’t get his own head gear on!)
I didn’t even connect her most excellent doodle to my mad skills. Thanks for pointing that out, Michelle. I’m always lookin’ for something they got from me since Mr. C’s genes kicked my genes to the curb and then said, “Nah nah nuh nah nah!” after.
Everyone has brown eyes — I have bluish-green. Everyone’s face looks like his, except mine. Everyone has brown hair. Wait a minute. Emily actually has blond hair like I did as a child. Okay, there’s one instance when my genes said, “Take that betch.”
And then his gave her brown eyes.
That’s the *best* description of what they do — tear it up. Gah, ain’t that the truth and nothin’ but the truth? I really do dread heading into bedtime.
Love it! So cute that she still said “Love” while she was mad. :-)
Isn’t that funny? *If* I had the nerve to leave a note like that for my dad I sure as hell wouldn’t have signed it “Love.” More like “Burn in Hell, Cardiogirl.”
We don’t get notes from our 5 year old yet, she is still learning to make her letters, but we do get, “You aren’t very nice. You hurt my feelings. I am going to go pack now, because I am leaving.” I hand her a garbage sack and tell her to call when she gets where ever it is she is going. Oh, and I show her a picture of a bob cat walking in our backyard, then I tell her they like to eat little girls, so if she sees one she should scream and run very fast.
I have to say the majority of the notes are positive, but I like the idea of them expressing anger via the written word as well. At least they’re acknowledging what they’re feeling rather than stuffing it down only to pop out in the knife they’re holding to my jugular at age 16.
So far only my oldest kid has
offeredthreatened to run away. She hung out in the back yard for a few minutes (it was winter) and then came back in. I didn’t rib her about, I told her I missed her and I was thrilled to see her back.