We have two computers upstairs in my office. One is mine and one is for the kids.
Nobody is allowed to touch mine. Ever.
The other one is pretty old, but it works well enough for what the kids need it for. But the printer hooked up to it is even older than the computer. It’s so old that there aren’t any printer cartridges for it in any of the stores nearby.
And it’s been out of ink for about a year. I’m sure I could order some online, but to be honest, the kids waste so much in printing stupid stuff out on that computer that it’s better if the printer doesn’t work.
So any time the kids need to print something, it has to be done on my computer, and since they aren’t allowed to touch that one, they have to wait for me to be able to do it.
Segue to this morning.
Number 3’s bus comes around 7:20.
At 7:10 he said to me, “Mom, can you print something out for me?”
“You’re kidding me, right?” I said to him. “Your bus will be here in ten minutes. This should have been done last night.”
“But I forgot! And it’s already two days late!”
I guess he thought that would make me sprint upstairs to the computer.
“So… this is already late, you’ve had the last two days to ask me to print it, and you are waiting until ten minutes before your bus is coming on Friday morning?”
“YES MOM! I FORGOT! AND IF YOU DON’T PRINT IT OUT, I’M GOING TO GET A DETENTION!”
He was now on the verge of hysterics.
“You better get ready for the bus,” I said to him.
“MOM!” he yelled.
“DO YOU WANT ME TO GET A DETENTION???” he screamed.
“If it will teach you not to forget your homework, yeah. I do,” I told him.
That was when he lost it.
He stormed out of the house and slammed the door making the house shake, but not before he screamed “I. DON’T. LIKE. YOU!!!”
I felt a little bit bad after he had left.
I guess he did, too.
When I got home today, as soon as I walked in the door he came right over to me, gave me a hug, and said, “Mom, I’m sorry for yelling at you this morning. And I’m sorry for freaking out.”
I’m glad I didn’t cave.
He got the message loud and clear.
And I bet it’s gonna be a long time before he “forgets” another homework assignment.
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