Sigh.

NativeFloridian · April 2013

I'll be the first to admit I've fallen off the bandwagon of the real food challenge, mostly because I have ZERO support from my parents. No, not even just zero support - it was constant criticism and jeering.

Then there's me being gigantically pregnant and exhausted (apparently I AM actually anemic - get it together, doc!), wrangling my toddler, dealing with constant undermining by my parents re: DD1's behavior/discipline, etc. I have been an absolute train wreck, if we're honest, mostly as related to extreme fatigue and physical pain. Plus there's that whole being expected to clean up after everyone (including two other capable adults) on top of holding it together as a mom thing. Oh, and I'm poorer than usual of late, so it's been harder to get to the store and get the good stuff. It's been mostly quick trips in and out with lots of pre-prepped frozen junk and boxed foods. I'm a little ashamed of how completely and utterly I gave up. It's probably justified, considering how exhausted I am, but still.

But Easter really pushed me over the edge and back into "done with junk" territory. Things were bad enough already with the kids and I being back on crud foods, but yesterday and today have been unbearable. DD1 was out of control and had the WORST. ATTITUDE. EVER yesterday. Of course, mom pandered to her and made it worse for me. DD2 learned what food the word "cookie" actually goes with, and was also given more candy than she'd ever had in her entire life by the people we were around yesterday. Today, as long as candy was in sight, DD2 was intolerable, ignoring her acceptable food and screaming "COOKIE!" and DD1 was sneaking candy every time I turned around. I finally bagged it all up and trashed it, even though I spent my own last dollars on it.

And then mom had DD1 FISH THE BAG OUT OF THE TRASH AND BRING IT TO HER. She cites "waste of money" as the official reason, but she also happens to believe that depriving children of candy is a terrible thing to do. She has also effectively taught my eldest child that junk food is to be coveted to the point of digging out of the f'ucking trash.

I've had it. I hate that I have no choice but to be here. It's been proven time and again that my parents and I don't see eye-to-eye on child-rearing, but it's always much, much worse when we live under their roof. Gouge my eyes out with a f'ucking spork, y'all. I cannot wait until I'm able to get the HELL out of here and put some healthy distance between my parents and my kids.

ETA (more novel): When my parents thought I was sleeping yesterday morning, they had a conversation about me wherein they decided that I simply don't want to work (my stepdad concluded that actually working would kill me) and they made a hilarious joke about how I'd probably say I didn't feel good when I woke up.

Sooooo...since I wanted to be a SAHM it must mean I didn't want to work (because being home with kids isn't work at all - hmm). And since there are no hours with my current WAH job (probably a lie, if you ask them) it must mean I still don't want to work. And since I expressed how it's going to be really tricky to figure out childcare costs and gainful employment after I have baby boy, that must mean I'm already making excuses I don't want to work after he gets here (I couldn't just be stating the obvious, could I?). And since I sometimes refuse to clean up after everyone in this house, that must mean I don't want to do any work. Oh, and I'm probably lying about not feeling well. Because I'm a horrible person or something.

I love it when the terms of my unintentional tenancy are directly related to how useful I am to the household I'm stuck in. I also love that not a single one of my justifiable circumstances has any bearing on my parents' opinion that I am a lazy sod and a poor excuse for a parent.

ohyeahdollface · April 2013

Wanna move here?

No joke.

We have a spare room, and don't eat junk!

We are just super far in AZ

ladybugpjb · April 2013

I empathize with you both on living with parents/people who have different habits, as well as with family members making remarks about SAH/WAH.

Mine weren't as extreme as what you shared, but I know that it's frustrating and it hurts.

Also,

NativeFloridian · April 2013

ohyeahdollface:
Wanna move here? No joke. We have a spare room, and don't eat junk! We are just super far in AZ

NativeFloridian · April 2013

ladybugpjb:
I empathize with you both on living with parents/people who have different habits, as well as with family members

Rachey1082 · April 2013

NativeFloridian:
oh

NotSharknado · April 2013

Geez, the trash? Really? I'm sorry NF. I wish your parents were more supportive. I get your living in their home but if they really wanted what's best for you, they should be looking for ways to help rather than put you down. Way to pour some salt in the

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha · April 2013

Fishing candy out of the trash? Eeeewwwwwwww!

I'm sorry NF - This situation really sucks. I hope you are able to find a decent job (and daycare!) after baby boy is born so that you can finally get out of there.

Big creepy internet hug