This morning as I was plugging along on my merry way I received a phone call from my mother. One might think was a positive event if you didn’t know me. However this was pretty heinous. My mother called me to tell me that I was not sexually molested as a young child and she wants me to get my story straight. Right. That’s why I have been nearly continually in therapy throughout my lifetime. Excellent. Thanks for clearing that up. By the end of that phone call I was very nearly hysterical. Thank all the stars in the heaven that a friend was due to arrive very soon after. Today was therapy day. Excellent timing, Mom. My friend helped me get through the day. When my beloved eldest child woke up before I was ready for her nap to be over I was decidedly unthrilled. I really need the alone time to think right now. Luckily I have the most delightfully manipulative child. As we cuddled together in the rocking chair she perked up a bit and tilted her head to the side ever so charmingly. A lovely lilt moved into her voice as she said, “I know how to make your life better!”
“Oh, really? And what would that involve?”
“I think it would involve watching your very favorite movie, Ponyo. I think you would be soooooo happy that you would be able to remember all of the rules for a while.”
So much for a non-screen kid. So much for not watching the same movie on repeat. Today I fail at crunchy. But, I win at being a parent because every single person in my house is physically safe, emotionally safe, and doing what they want to be doing. At least the day might end well.
We have the most wonderfully manipulative little girl. I’m proud of her.
As much as it drives me nuts, I actually think that watching a movie on repeat is one of those things that’s developmentally kinda good for a kid. It’s completely predictable, they know how it will go. It gives them a sense of continuity that’s comforting. I don’t think it’s terribly bad for a kid. But it drives us adults batty…
Ha! I’ve actually had to stop and check my own impulses in that area. It does kind of irritate me to put up with her ‘favorites’. But she gets to have that and I put up with it. It’s very twitch making though. Every so often I sit and watch chunks with her and ask questions to try to get her thinking about the story on new levels. It’s kind of neat. 🙂