My Cries

You know that expression, “falls on deaf ears?” Everything I say “falls on deaf ears.” I’ve developed a threshold of three – I can say something three times before I start to get aggravated. There’s literally nothing in the world I can say once and get results. What’s up with that?

“We’re going to a birthday party at Wrigley Field. We’re going to meet every famous Cubs player in the history of the world. We will eat nothing but hot dogs with grilled onions and ketsup, ice cream and popcorn…please put your shoes on. Put your shoes on. Can you please put your shoes on?! For the love of G-d, PUT YOUR SHOES ON!!!!!!!!!” They are immune to everything that comes out of my mouth.

My yoga teacher once mentioned a school of thought where you are given a finite number of breaths in your life. If that’s the case, I’ve wasted too many! Gabby’s preschool teachers mentioned that kids respond to everything better said in song. I’ve been singing until I’m blue in the face and nobody cares what my songs say.

You would think by now that I would surrender. If you aren’t willing to listen to my requests, my plies, my cries, then forget you. You can be late to every class, every birthday party, every game for the end of time. You suffer the consequences!!!

The problem is that, at least at this point, I can’t help but feel like their tardiness is a reflection on me. I’m clearly the one who can’t get my act together in the morning, therefore they are late (or whatever equivalent that so clearly demonstrates their lack of respect for what I have to say). And that I cannot accept.

So maybe, per usual, I should get over myself and let them be. Stop being the perpetual nagger or screamer, as the case may be, and let them show up late. Let them make us all look tardy, let them ignore my discipline, whatever they want because the aggravation I am going through constantly fighting with them to listen to my demands is driving me crazy…and it’s a short ride there!