Category Archives: influence

Pete and repeat – say again?

So for what seems like the hundredth time, I had the talk with David, our 10 year old about how his behaviour will follow him for the rest of his life.  Do I think I got through to him this time?  Sadly, no, I don’t. This is the child who just got out of a residential facility, where he was placed in part because of his behaviour.  I explained that there are worse places for him to be, and gave him specific examples.  I talked about how when I was a kid, I was in trouble with the law and was taken from my home in handcuffs.  Yes, even at the age that he is, they might not use handcuffs, but they could decide that this isn’t the proper environment for him. So the question is, how do we protect him from himself?  When it is just him, and myself,

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storm watch — warning – a lesson for my kids.

So we are under a winter storm watch. From Saturday evening to Monday morning. Winter on the Northern Plains typically lasts from mid October when we normally get our first snow to late April, when we get our last snow.  This year, we have been blessed with Spring like weather until this past week.  Two days ago we received an inch and a half of snow.  Last year at this time we had over 90 inches to put it into perspective. Now, we are under a storm warning that promises to change that. Now since Winter on the Northern plains is a 6 and a half month proposition, it would make sense that we are used to being in the weather.  Nope.  First snow of the year and everyone forgets how to drive on snow.  Everyone forgets the cardinal rule when travelling. “Never pass the snow plow.” Why?  Well apart

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Calgon take me away… alas it is an exercise in futility

It has been a day already. David was up at 7.  he went to bed at 11 last night, but was up and down all night long. Since then he has been as busy as Roger Rabbit.  Zip from here to there.  When he is like he was last night, it is hard to sleep. David thinks that everyone is deaf when they are sleeping so he makes a lot of noise in the hopes of waking them.  Then you hear snippets of “David, stop that, David, David, David, David…”  alas it is an exercise in futility. So we went on an outing. He had to do a blood draw, and then we stopped at the grocery store. It seems like our whole day has been: Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Mom. Mom. Mom. Hey Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad… Tweet #fighting4answrs