Shari
IsItFridayYet?
I have to go on field trips with difficult child or he doesn't go. Since I am going, generally there are other kids in the group assigned to me as well. Today was another field trip. I had 2 older boys.
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difficult child was in the backseat in his carseat. He is a master at escaping and I honestly didn't even know it happened, tho I have no doubt it did. While stopped at a red light, it seems difficult child loosened his belt enough (or took it off and put it back on later, I am truly not sure which) to stand up on the seat and lean forward. There was a state patrol directly behind us. I feel like an idiot becase I did not see this take place, but when the officer stopped us and I turned around, difficult child's seatbelt had 10 inches or better of slack in it.
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I was polite to the officer, because if he was not belted in, it is my problem, but I don't think he beleived me at all that I didn't tell difficult child to put his belt on real fast after-the-fact.... I asked the officer to please also talk to difficult child. He went around the car and opened the door and had a polite but firm conversation with difficult child. This has happened one other time and it didn't make a lick of difference, so I don't expect this one too, either. In fact, on the way back from the field trip, he did it again and the kid in the backseat with him stopped him that time.
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difficult child was nearly in tears both times, apologizing profusly..."I'm sorry mommy. I'm sorry mommy. I forgot. I'll do better, mommy. I'm sorry." And ya know what? I'm sick of hearing empty "sorries" and empty "I'll do betters". I don't think he can do better right now.
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I was angry. I still am, but I didn't lose my cool. One of the other boys, who's been thru the DFS scene, got angry with the cop and I calmly told him if difficult child was out of his seat, the cop's just doing his job...its the law, and difficult child broke it. The two boys then said if they'd have done that in their family cars, they'd have to work to earn money to pay the ticket, so it was an easy and natural progression to say difficult child will have to work some of this off, too. But it doesn't change the fact that it happened, again, and it most likely will happen again and again some more.
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I'm so frustrated.
***
difficult child was in the backseat in his carseat. He is a master at escaping and I honestly didn't even know it happened, tho I have no doubt it did. While stopped at a red light, it seems difficult child loosened his belt enough (or took it off and put it back on later, I am truly not sure which) to stand up on the seat and lean forward. There was a state patrol directly behind us. I feel like an idiot becase I did not see this take place, but when the officer stopped us and I turned around, difficult child's seatbelt had 10 inches or better of slack in it.
***
I was polite to the officer, because if he was not belted in, it is my problem, but I don't think he beleived me at all that I didn't tell difficult child to put his belt on real fast after-the-fact.... I asked the officer to please also talk to difficult child. He went around the car and opened the door and had a polite but firm conversation with difficult child. This has happened one other time and it didn't make a lick of difference, so I don't expect this one too, either. In fact, on the way back from the field trip, he did it again and the kid in the backseat with him stopped him that time.
***
difficult child was nearly in tears both times, apologizing profusly..."I'm sorry mommy. I'm sorry mommy. I forgot. I'll do better, mommy. I'm sorry." And ya know what? I'm sick of hearing empty "sorries" and empty "I'll do betters". I don't think he can do better right now.
***
I was angry. I still am, but I didn't lose my cool. One of the other boys, who's been thru the DFS scene, got angry with the cop and I calmly told him if difficult child was out of his seat, the cop's just doing his job...its the law, and difficult child broke it. The two boys then said if they'd have done that in their family cars, they'd have to work to earn money to pay the ticket, so it was an easy and natural progression to say difficult child will have to work some of this off, too. But it doesn't change the fact that it happened, again, and it most likely will happen again and again some more.
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I'm so frustrated.