This afternoon, I did my usual coaxing and physical manipulation to get the the boy into the car at his day care center. I’d spent the day working from home, because I’m feeling really ill (upper respiratory infection-like, plus body aches and feverish) and also because I had to take the cat to the vet this morning. He (the 13-year-old cat) has been undergoing various types of tests the last week or so, after he started acting strangely — like falling off the couch. Something was obviously wrong.
So, we headed to the veterinarian’s office to pick up the cat. While we waited, the boy caused all sort of havoc, crawling on the floor, wandering down hallways, and barrelling into offices and waiting rooms where he didn’t belong. I chased him, tried to corral him, and gave him a stern talking to. Nothing made a difference. Finally, we got the cat, after I found out he needs surgery estimated to cost around $3000. So, I trundled outside, cat carrier in one hand, so relieved to get the boy out of the office. I held his hand tightly, because we were about to cross a parking lot and a street. Once across, I let him go, and he took the opportunity to run off toward a 7-11 parking lot.
Keep in mind, I’ve got a very distressed sick cat in a carrier in one hand. I was furious. And ill myself. And stressed and worried over the cat’s illness — both its impact on the cat and on our finances. I couldn’t chase the boy because I was holding the cat carrier. Doesn’t this kid have any empathy for my feelings, and can’t he understand that running away just isn’t very fun, or funny, to me? Nope.
—
It’s this kind of stuff that drives me crazy on a daily basis:
- The glass the boy knocked off the bedside table, and broke, while I was away (in bare feet) getting him some milk. “Stay on the bed,” I shouted, hoping he’d actually obey, for once. (He did, thankfully. Of course, I’m still stepping on small shards of glass beside my bed.)
- When I try to get him dressed in the morning, he scoots from one side of the bed to the other, so he’s always just out of reach, giggling all the time — while I keep glancing at the clock to see how late I’m going to be to work.
- Whenever I try to get him into the car — whether it’s going to day care or coming home — he never fails to run away down the sidewalk, giggling, looking back to make sure I am chasing him. Yesterday, someone saw this behavior and suggested I get a leash. It’s worth considering. He’s putting himself in danger by running away so much, and I know chasing him only encourages him.
Everything — getting dressed, eating, getting in the car, going to day care, turning off the TV — is a struggle. He’s just a typical 2-year-old, I know, but sometimes I wonder if I have the strength.
—-
BTW, I’m really just letting off steam here — something I desperately need to do. Eating is still good, despite illness, cat surgery, frustrating boy, etc. Not exercising due to illness. And now… must sleep.
No Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>