Monday, February 05, 2007
running at least an hour behind, purely due to the stupid beachside restaurant last night that took nearly an hour to bring our meal, followed by a 1/2 hour gap between trams (yay taking public transport to save on greenhouse gases!), and what am I doing? blogging.
because I need to get the following out of my system: last night, after said delayed meal, s-i-l, who was already annoying me with "my" boundary issues - things like dh going off to play in the water with her and A. while I minded the stuff, me being of course the party pooper who thought the things should be minded on a busy tourist beach, things like her and dh deciding to move our spot while I was off in the toilets, so I came back to find her packing up my gear - last night, as we waited for said tram, and I was at the kerb with dh, A and sil safely, I thought, behind me so I was between him and the road, I heard her say something and realised: she was encouraging him to stare at the sun!. in fact, she was holding him up in her arms so he could get a better look at the sunset. I freaked, naturally, and interposed my body between him and the sun. she then informed me that "I (she) believe it's safe to look at the sun at sunset" and when my instincts pushed me forward to take him, she resisted, and said "it's OK, (my name)" in a patronising, don't-worry-about-it way. so I had to lurk between her and the sun until it was properly set.
I do not want, at this point, comments suggesting that she was right. I don't fucking care if it is mildly safer at sunset. for a period of several seconds, she was holding my child up and pointing his delicate little eyes - deliberately, encouragingly - at the source of rays that can painlessly, quietly, burn a permanet black spot on his retinas. he could have been blinded. and besides, with little kids, you don't say "it's Ok now but not later" to do really dangerous things. you say "no, not at all" until they are old enough to understand the distinction.
she apologised later but I have nothing to say. every time I think of her hoisting him up and saying "look at the sun", I feel physically ill. what if I hadn't stopped her, what if it wasn't OK? I don't think I can ever trust her with him, she's just too wilful and ditzy and incapable of really seeing other people's pov (yes I know I"m ignoring hers, but this is my child she's toying with).
grrr.
on a nicer topic: on the tram down to the beach, a woman just touching middle age came over after watching us for 20 minutes and said "he's gorgeous," and went on to discuss how well behaved he was, how his little red lips looked like he was wearing lipstick, etc. I do like that sort of thing, vain mummy that I am. he was also really good as the minutes ticked by past his bedtime and we waited for our food, the tram, etc. he slept in and he's tired this morning but at childcare, hooray; I'm also tired and can't nap till after I do a small radio interview this afternoon, but I"m hoping for a supernap myself. ah, naps. life goes better with naps.
because I need to get the following out of my system: last night, after said delayed meal, s-i-l, who was already annoying me with "my" boundary issues - things like dh going off to play in the water with her and A. while I minded the stuff, me being of course the party pooper who thought the things should be minded on a busy tourist beach, things like her and dh deciding to move our spot while I was off in the toilets, so I came back to find her packing up my gear - last night, as we waited for said tram, and I was at the kerb with dh, A and sil safely, I thought, behind me so I was between him and the road, I heard her say something and realised: she was encouraging him to stare at the sun!. in fact, she was holding him up in her arms so he could get a better look at the sunset. I freaked, naturally, and interposed my body between him and the sun. she then informed me that "I (she) believe it's safe to look at the sun at sunset" and when my instincts pushed me forward to take him, she resisted, and said "it's OK, (my name)" in a patronising, don't-worry-about-it way. so I had to lurk between her and the sun until it was properly set.
I do not want, at this point, comments suggesting that she was right. I don't fucking care if it is mildly safer at sunset. for a period of several seconds, she was holding my child up and pointing his delicate little eyes - deliberately, encouragingly - at the source of rays that can painlessly, quietly, burn a permanet black spot on his retinas. he could have been blinded. and besides, with little kids, you don't say "it's Ok now but not later" to do really dangerous things. you say "no, not at all" until they are old enough to understand the distinction.
she apologised later but I have nothing to say. every time I think of her hoisting him up and saying "look at the sun", I feel physically ill. what if I hadn't stopped her, what if it wasn't OK? I don't think I can ever trust her with him, she's just too wilful and ditzy and incapable of really seeing other people's pov (yes I know I"m ignoring hers, but this is my child she's toying with).
grrr.
on a nicer topic: on the tram down to the beach, a woman just touching middle age came over after watching us for 20 minutes and said "he's gorgeous," and went on to discuss how well behaved he was, how his little red lips looked like he was wearing lipstick, etc. I do like that sort of thing, vain mummy that I am. he was also really good as the minutes ticked by past his bedtime and we waited for our food, the tram, etc. he slept in and he's tired this morning but at childcare, hooray; I'm also tired and can't nap till after I do a small radio interview this afternoon, but I"m hoping for a supernap myself. ah, naps. life goes better with naps.
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