CinnamonSugar
A Quiet American
Ok, slight vent needed....
It's been an emotionally and physically draining (almost) 24 hrs. Last night I was at a Christmas party and after we'd eaten I felt like I *had* to leave and get home (no great loss, I hate party games, lol). Anyway, it wasn't too long after I arrived home that my younger daughter texted me, with some very heavy emotional burdens. I stayed up and texted, encouraging, til she felt marginally better. We agreed to reconnect this AM to continue discussion.
Today was my day to babysit grandgirls for a few hours. I arrived to high drama... tears and wailing from older granddaughter. Mama left for work and I took over supervising the task (not by any means unwarranted or overly harsh) she'd been assigned to complete. Younger granddaughter just has to be watched every min or something is being dismantled.
So in the midst of all this, I'm trying to text to my younger daughter and help her come up with some practical and do-able things to bring down her stress level and help her deal with what's going on.
Needless to say, I was pulled in multiple directions mentally and emotionally.
Added to it all, it was pouring rain, so couldn't get younger granddaughter outside to work off the wiggles. So we got in the car and motored to my house. We played and sang along to Christmas carols, baked some Christmas cookies (which were billed as "thumb print" shortbread cookies but my butter-to-flour ratio must have been off, they looked like roadkill when they came out of the oven--but edible) and watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the 1966 version). So that part of the day was a good, memory-making time.
Took them back to their house and their regular baby sitter was there within 30 min. Now I'm home; having eaten some warmed up dal and rice + a lovely warm cuppa, I'm settled down to enjoy some 'down' time and Christmas music.
Doesn't matter if your kids are 4 or 40, when they hurt, you hurt with them, huh?
It's been an emotionally and physically draining (almost) 24 hrs. Last night I was at a Christmas party and after we'd eaten I felt like I *had* to leave and get home (no great loss, I hate party games, lol). Anyway, it wasn't too long after I arrived home that my younger daughter texted me, with some very heavy emotional burdens. I stayed up and texted, encouraging, til she felt marginally better. We agreed to reconnect this AM to continue discussion.
Today was my day to babysit grandgirls for a few hours. I arrived to high drama... tears and wailing from older granddaughter. Mama left for work and I took over supervising the task (not by any means unwarranted or overly harsh) she'd been assigned to complete. Younger granddaughter just has to be watched every min or something is being dismantled.
So in the midst of all this, I'm trying to text to my younger daughter and help her come up with some practical and do-able things to bring down her stress level and help her deal with what's going on.
Needless to say, I was pulled in multiple directions mentally and emotionally.
Added to it all, it was pouring rain, so couldn't get younger granddaughter outside to work off the wiggles. So we got in the car and motored to my house. We played and sang along to Christmas carols, baked some Christmas cookies (which were billed as "thumb print" shortbread cookies but my butter-to-flour ratio must have been off, they looked like roadkill when they came out of the oven--but edible) and watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the 1966 version). So that part of the day was a good, memory-making time.
Took them back to their house and their regular baby sitter was there within 30 min. Now I'm home; having eaten some warmed up dal and rice + a lovely warm cuppa, I'm settled down to enjoy some 'down' time and Christmas music.
Doesn't matter if your kids are 4 or 40, when they hurt, you hurt with them, huh?