AnnieO
Shooting from the Hip
Finally got Belle settled and here we go again...
We've been having typical teen issues with Pat lately. Attitude, that sort of thing. It's been mostly easy (easier anyway due to Belle's antics a few years ago), though all the teen garbage hit at once, rather than ramping up from the tween years.
The one thing that's been a constant is his continued addiction to screens. We've been working with him... He's been attending online school this year, which allowed him to get caught up but in retrospect was a BAD IDEA. We started in March, telling Pat he needed to step it up on chores and then get a summer job. He agreed. Also to getting his learner's permit for driving. His cell phone would be up to him to pay for during the summer because we pay for it when he needs it for online school.
Fast forward a few months, and it's July. Pat has lost the laptop repeatedly for not doing schoolwork and not doing chores. He's not made a move towards a job, and barely has his temps thanks to Belle pushing him. Last Thursday, hubby made a special dinner for us (scallops... our tenth anniversary), then made hot dogs for the kids. Called Pat out - he was in his room. He came out, looked at the table, then wandered back into his room. No response when hubby tried again and again. Due to the attitude, etc., hubby took the laptop, phone charger, etc. and HID them in our room. The next day, he told Pat that he could have them back when we saw an honest effort toward finding a job.
Saturday, hubby was going to tell Pat to walk (or ride his bike) to the mall area and put in applications. I need to run to the store so I offered to drop him off at 1:30, and then hubby would pick him up at 4:30. Pat agreed. I dropped him at Wal-Mart. Afterward, I went home and got Rose, to take her to my parents' for the night.
Apparently Pat filled out ONE application (at Wal-Mart) and walked home. He knew what was expected.
Hubby and I went to a wedding reception... Then came home, to grab a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory to get some food. Belle & her boyfriend were there doing laundry (which is fairly normal LOL). I realized later I saw Pat's laptop out (Belle was on Hubby's), but we were trying to get back out to eat so it slipped.
Then he spent the night with Belle & her boyfriend. He was supposed to be back for dog training by 11:15 but guess what. Nope. We picked him up afterward.
Got home, were downstairs and then Belle called to discuss some issues with hubby... (Pat issues) and mentioned he had his laptop. Mind, hubby had hidden it... Pat had had to DIG for it.
We thought, NAW, he couldn't... He did. Hubby went upstairs... Yup. Pat was gaming. Hiding it from us.
Hubby said, too, if he'd been filling out an app online we probably would have said, you should have asked. But... Laptop got smashed over hubby's knee. Even the hard drive is broken. (Normally we'd hide it again, but this needed to be done... And it wasn't exactly in good condition anyway.) I demanded the cell phone... Which was off anyway. He hadn't paid for the minutes.
Pat yelled that now he couldn't apply for any jobs and I lost it. "BULL****! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN BVEEN TRYING! GET OFF YOUR REAR AND RIDE YOUR BIKE OR WALK TO THE LIBRARY LIKE PEOPLE WITHOUT INTERNET DO!" Then he told me he was expecting a call from Wal-Mart about the job. I laughed and gave him the phone back - without the battery. Told him the phone didn't have minutes anyway and couldn't receive calls - we'd tried, a couple of days before.
Pat got angry and decided to walk out. He told hubby he was going to walk to Belle's (hahaha - she lives 6 miles away on the other side of 3 major surface roads and 2 highways) and called him a name implying that hubby was acting like father in law (bad news).
Hubby called Belle who went and got him.
Anyway, Belle brought him back later to get some clothes and his ID. We also gave her some food etc. because she's feeding him. He refused to speak to us - FINE. But... When Rose went to give him a hug and he shoved past her... I almost hit him. And I'm not like that. But there is NO reason to take it out on her. Acting just like father in law... Hmm.
He has since gotten another cell phone and unfriended me and hubby on facebook (whoop de doo). Belle is keeping in contact so we know he is okay.
He's going back to traditional school in the fall. So, he has about 6 weeks to get over his little snit... And not annoy Belle and her boyfriend to the ends of their patience with his screen addiction... SIGH.
We've been having typical teen issues with Pat lately. Attitude, that sort of thing. It's been mostly easy (easier anyway due to Belle's antics a few years ago), though all the teen garbage hit at once, rather than ramping up from the tween years.
The one thing that's been a constant is his continued addiction to screens. We've been working with him... He's been attending online school this year, which allowed him to get caught up but in retrospect was a BAD IDEA. We started in March, telling Pat he needed to step it up on chores and then get a summer job. He agreed. Also to getting his learner's permit for driving. His cell phone would be up to him to pay for during the summer because we pay for it when he needs it for online school.
Fast forward a few months, and it's July. Pat has lost the laptop repeatedly for not doing schoolwork and not doing chores. He's not made a move towards a job, and barely has his temps thanks to Belle pushing him. Last Thursday, hubby made a special dinner for us (scallops... our tenth anniversary), then made hot dogs for the kids. Called Pat out - he was in his room. He came out, looked at the table, then wandered back into his room. No response when hubby tried again and again. Due to the attitude, etc., hubby took the laptop, phone charger, etc. and HID them in our room. The next day, he told Pat that he could have them back when we saw an honest effort toward finding a job.
Saturday, hubby was going to tell Pat to walk (or ride his bike) to the mall area and put in applications. I need to run to the store so I offered to drop him off at 1:30, and then hubby would pick him up at 4:30. Pat agreed. I dropped him at Wal-Mart. Afterward, I went home and got Rose, to take her to my parents' for the night.
Apparently Pat filled out ONE application (at Wal-Mart) and walked home. He knew what was expected.
Hubby and I went to a wedding reception... Then came home, to grab a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory to get some food. Belle & her boyfriend were there doing laundry (which is fairly normal LOL). I realized later I saw Pat's laptop out (Belle was on Hubby's), but we were trying to get back out to eat so it slipped.
Then he spent the night with Belle & her boyfriend. He was supposed to be back for dog training by 11:15 but guess what. Nope. We picked him up afterward.
Got home, were downstairs and then Belle called to discuss some issues with hubby... (Pat issues) and mentioned he had his laptop. Mind, hubby had hidden it... Pat had had to DIG for it.
We thought, NAW, he couldn't... He did. Hubby went upstairs... Yup. Pat was gaming. Hiding it from us.
Hubby said, too, if he'd been filling out an app online we probably would have said, you should have asked. But... Laptop got smashed over hubby's knee. Even the hard drive is broken. (Normally we'd hide it again, but this needed to be done... And it wasn't exactly in good condition anyway.) I demanded the cell phone... Which was off anyway. He hadn't paid for the minutes.
Pat yelled that now he couldn't apply for any jobs and I lost it. "BULL****! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN BVEEN TRYING! GET OFF YOUR REAR AND RIDE YOUR BIKE OR WALK TO THE LIBRARY LIKE PEOPLE WITHOUT INTERNET DO!" Then he told me he was expecting a call from Wal-Mart about the job. I laughed and gave him the phone back - without the battery. Told him the phone didn't have minutes anyway and couldn't receive calls - we'd tried, a couple of days before.
Pat got angry and decided to walk out. He told hubby he was going to walk to Belle's (hahaha - she lives 6 miles away on the other side of 3 major surface roads and 2 highways) and called him a name implying that hubby was acting like father in law (bad news).
Hubby called Belle who went and got him.
Anyway, Belle brought him back later to get some clothes and his ID. We also gave her some food etc. because she's feeding him. He refused to speak to us - FINE. But... When Rose went to give him a hug and he shoved past her... I almost hit him. And I'm not like that. But there is NO reason to take it out on her. Acting just like father in law... Hmm.
He has since gotten another cell phone and unfriended me and hubby on facebook (whoop de doo). Belle is keeping in contact so we know he is okay.
He's going back to traditional school in the fall. So, he has about 6 weeks to get over his little snit... And not annoy Belle and her boyfriend to the ends of their patience with his screen addiction... SIGH.