"But it's below ZERO Mom! They won't even let us go out for recess at school if it's below 32! Making us go out to play in this is CHILD ABUSE!"
Out I sent them anyway. Out out out out of my hair for a half hour. That's all I needed, thirty minutes of alone time. I spent a full hour getting them all appropriately bundled up to go out so I could have 30 minutes of peace.
Out they went. The dog too. I put up a pot of coffee, and sat where I could see them perfectly well. They had a great time, came in after an hour because the hot chocolate I had made them was ready, and we had a lovely evening talking about how nice it was to get exercise outside, especially when it was cold out.
The following Tuesday, I was summoned to the pricipal's office. I expected the summons to be to address the snarky attitude of my youngest's, who, to her credit, took no crap from anyone, not even teachers. I admired her for it.
But it turned out her essay for Monday's "What did you do this weekend" assignment, ruffled some feathers. All the other children told stories about what they did online, who they talked to on the phone, what they saw on social media, or what they watched on TV. My daughter started her presentation with "I didn't want to go outside because it was BELOW ZERO, but my mother made me do it."
Child Protective Services was waiting for me when I arrived,
This is my entry to @mariannewest's daily freewrite challenge. Today's prompt is below zero.
Child protective services are a joke. In my experience, it's either a school official or a doctor who reports a parent for neglect or abuse. Is this really a risk you want to take?
If this is fiction...funny story!
If it's not.. what were you thinking sending the dog out in weather like that!?
But seriously, I agree with you; parenting is not what it used to be.
lol. I bundled him up too. He wore a sheepskin rug, fastened with duct tape. Doggie earmuffs. He wasn't interested in hot chocolate, so I left him out there. He turned into an ice sculpture. This did not help my case.
Fiction, dahlink. I got busted for not complying with medical advice, and that child didn't make it past 27, he was thenceforth so heavily medicated for this or that he was poisoned to death.
I'm reading The Glass Castle. The things people did with or to their kids then and there would absolutely result in the kids being removed from their homes, placed in foster care, and probably trafficked. We have to be really careful now! Or just keep our kids out of the schools and doctors offices.
That I even thought your story could possibly be true speaks volumes. We had what we called 'the social' at our door many times and one child removed from the home. It's not my story so I won't tell it, but I can say he was never the same again, alive but not living.
I know (some of) your heartbreaking story and that little picture of your son is forever etched in my memory, though I cannot even imagine the pain of the loss of a child.
I can just see this! Kids are way too soft these days. Sometimes you just need that breather all alone!
!ALIVE
Isn't it amazing what kids are allowed or not allowed to do these days?
I did not have enough breathers as a mother of young children. Now I have too many. You can't win.
Honestly, it is amazing. With my son now living here, I get to see two of my grandchildren every other week. This world is so complex for kids.
!ALIVE
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I did not have enough breathers as a mother of young children. Now I have too many. You can't win.
This is how I feel, too.
It's weird, isn't it? And because I have so much time, I can't get going like I used to on the mundane tasks I have to do - those keep piling up.
This is actually scary!
And imagine that this is what some kids probably do all their childhood. Not the terrible below zero abuse. But all the other fun stuff on their phones.
Love the #tyranny tag :D
I went to a bar mitzvah about seven years ago. These used to be events where kids went wild dancing, partying, enjoying themselves and each other. But at this one, all the teens sat at their table staring at their phones. The adults danced and partied, but our kids do not know how to do that.
It is tyranny. Glad you like the tag! It's good to find those of us who understand that we are far from free, especially here in the US.
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All mothers need some alone time at some point in time. It usually overwhelming with children, but it's all worth it at the end.
I was beginning to enjoy your daughter's strong personality until, "My mother made me do it"😂😂, I bursted out laughing, I couldn't hold in.
This was a wonderful, funny and nostalgic read for me. I enjoyed your story. 😊
!discovery 38
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Sometimes I hide in my car...But they're smart and can find me in no time...😁
The world you're imagining, we aren't far from it!
It's here. Been here for a long time. Happened to me, not quite like this, but once a family is under surveillance, every little thing is examined.
That's some crazy stuff @owasco this ain't normal at all, we gotta stop these people! Takes another meaning to sovereignty!
The only way to keep them out of our lives right now is to keep our children out of both the schools and the doctors' offices. Something is very very wrong with both, and they are in cahoots via school attendance.
When my kids were young and I was trapped at home with them, I would go out to the car to call other mothers. They were often outside sitting in their cars too! It's a thing.
Hahaha Glad to hear I wasn't the only one doing that!