"You Can't Use Me To Feel Good About Yourself"
It all began when I knit her my 14 year old daughter a sweater. She’d accompanied me to the store to choose a soft, washable yarn in a neutral color she’d actually wear. During Covid I’ve picked up knitting again and found a healthy distraction in searching for patterns and scrumptious yarns. Because my grandmother taught me to knit when I was young, knitting sent a gentle signal to my brain, “Everything’s okay.”
What I did when my daughter said "You're the boringest and I HATE YOU!" on our first day of summer.
And the tirade begins - I’m sparing you many of the gruesome details but these quotes will give you the flavor.
You're the boringest in my whole entire family because you always mention boring things to me and I HATE YOU!
I want daddy!
I wish I were dead!
(she repeats this last one several times I think because she’s startled that I’m not reacting)
I’m not as composed as I want to be. Being a parent educator can really inflame feelings of parental inadequacy. My inner dialogue that thankfully doesn’t come out my mouth is, S you’re acting like a spoiled brat and