So, after a few too many reported tummy aches and a few more traumatic daycare-drop-offs than is normal for this child, I did some verbal fishing last night to find some clues as to what might be bothering Zoey.
Me: Zoey, how is school going? Are you playing nicely with your friends?
Zoey: Yeah....but I cwy a lot at school.
Me: How come? What is making you so sad?
Zoey: (I swear, looking at me like she wasn't quite sure if she could trust me with the following information) Mommy? Sometimes William comes to me and yells "FUCKIT!". And then he spits at me.
This is, needless to say, NOT what I was expecting.
I think that if I was dealing with a co-worker screaming profanity at me and following it up with a little spit in the face, I'd develop a chronic gut ache myself.
You know those moments when you die a little inside as a mother, because you KNOW there is no way to protect your child from situations like these? Kind of had one of those for a brief moment before recovering enough to review how NOT COOL naughty words and spitting happen to be. I reinforced (several times) how important it is to walk away from someone like William who is clearly (when I am being kind) having a bad day or (when I'd like to wring his little neck) a deranged little sociopath.
Later on, as we were fixing hot milk before bed, Zoey and I were talking about ways to make ourselves feel happy when, really, we just feel like crying.
Me: Sometimes, when I feel sad, I try really hard to think of things that make me happy. What are some things you could think about? Does going to the library make you feel happy?
Zoey: Yeah! I yike the yiberry!
Me: Good! Maybe when you're feeling sad at school, you could think of going to the library with Mommy. What else makes you feel happy?
Zoey: (resting her head on my shoulder, and in a very dreamy little voice) Going to Target.
Me: Ohhhhh. Yeah, I get that. Sometimes, when I'm sad, I dream about going to Target too.
*Sigh*
5 comments:
Oh how cute is she!! Good thing you are her mom, I probably would have told her to say the same thing back to the kid.
So good to have you writing again, sweetie! Give Zoey a big hug from Oma.
the conversation would have gone exactly the same, had it been with me... except i usually pronounce my Ls. but that's seriously part of zoey's charm. : )
With this New Year's Budget Resolution I find myself dreaming about Target too. Like, how nice would it be to have just a few extra bottles these days? To cut down on all that dish washing I'm doing? I guess you can raise a kid on three bottles... right? Good to have you back blogging again.
First of all, Target rocks. Way to go Zoey, for showing them some love!
I would have been tempted to tell her to clock this kid. Your advice was better tho. :)
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