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Skidland Update

Cover1W's picture

Not too much exiting these days.
I think everyone has the winter doldrums.

Disengagement continues WELL.
It's GREAT. I love it. The more I DON'T do stuff and DON'T react the better I am.

SD10(stb11) is doing great. I am more engaged with her for the most part because she accepts the situation, is responsible and helps out a lot around the house now. She likes things clean. She's starting to notice that her sister is a slob and doesn't do anything. I think she's getting tired of the bathroom being a filthy mess but doesn't know how to speak up (I'm working with her on how to make sure an adult is told there's an issue). I also mentioned to DH recently that he needs to consider giving SD10 an allowance. ONLY SD10, not SD13...he said, "Yeah, SD13 just comes back with smart remarks and whining when asked to do something. And you always have to ASK her." And that's the last I say about allowances.

SD13 has cleaned her room, at least in some sense (I don't check by going in, just walking by when her door is open), twice since the holidays on her own. She's still collecting dishware in there, and I've noticed DH looking for glasses lately - he's refusing to go to the thrift store to get more. She's making the girls bathroom a total disgusting disaster, so DH continues to clean it. He said that next time SD13 is going to clean it with him. I'll give him $10 if that happens I swear. I need to teach him that cleaning the bath also means putting out clean towels (barf), cleaning out the trash SD13 stashes in her cupboard and cleaning SD10's toothpaste area.

I suspect SD13 may be getting an infection in her jaw. She was complaining last night that her "cheek hurt." She doesn't brush, floss or do anything so it's just a matter of time. She said this at dinner but DH didn't respond at all. I just told her to tell someone if it gets worse.

My latest disengagement thing is removing myself from doing any of SD10's laundry.
She's good about collecting it but terrible about letting anyone know she needs clean clothes even though she likes clean clothes (she has problems asking for help). I had a chat with her last weekend that a) I don't go into her room any longer to check her laundry b) if she needs laundry done she must ask first DH then me if nothing happens - and DH will help her ultimately c) when we get new washing machine I will teach her how to use it and then it's all on her. She understood so I'm sticking by it.

Last night I practiced keeping my mouth shut. DH was complaining that he didn't get to do X and Z yesterday. I said, "Well, you had the SDs today." He basically agreed and that it took ALL his time to take care of them. I was about to say, "Well, they are old enough to take care of themselves so cut back the babying." But instead I nodded and went back to my book.

Comments

CLove's picture

GREAT JOB! Seems like you have a similar sitch to mine. Except I have SD17 and Sd10. Sd17 squirrels food and dishes in her room, her room is always a filthy mess, and SD10 loves things organized, pretty and CLEAN. I also have been disengaging quite a bit - mostly with SD17. She's grown up to be an entitled Princess Snowflake, and very unpleasant to be around. I guess this started around 14 or so.

SD13 getting an infection so early? She will have major problems soon! SD10 had not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4, yes 4 cavities last year. SD17 promptly bought her an icecream after her fillings. I couldn't believe it. And BM let her. Couldn't believe that either. And SO had no control, so he was off the hook.

That's awesome that you are happier with the disengagement - ME TOO! No more huge heated arguments with SO nor with SD17. Not this month or last month at least. And just this morning when I checked before work, SD17 had left a HUGE mess in her room, complete with 1/2 avocado, slice of bread (mine), and some molding dishes with food still in there. I took photos, and texted SO that "we had discussed the no food in the room" thing, but here you go...its now on you".
He simply said "they will be cleaned when she comes home tonight after school".
I took photos of the dishes we have so if she hides them again, like she did before, and tries to lie (like she always does, then I have proof of it for later.

Yes, great job again, but the teenage years haven't hit yet, best to be prepared now.

Cover1W's picture

I am expecting massive issues in the next several years.
I've warned DH about it but he says, 'No, it won't happen.' I just shake my head and walk away.

CLove's picture

Clever, my SO doesn't trust SD17, not much anyway. We have a joke that I started - "How do we know Winona is lying? Her LIPS are moving!!!"
hahah

SD17 failed a class and her grades are low enough we aren't certain of graduation. I have caught her in so many lies I just give up on expecting any kind of truth from the bratola.

One lie I am especially fond of, right now, because of our issues with dishes - for almost 2 weeks we had been missing several bowls.
SO: "daughter Snowflake, have you seen our bowls? Are they in your room?"
Princess Snowflake all innocent-like "oh no daddeee, not in my room, I told you last week." in a whine/complain tone.
So my sweety gathers several bags, takes out 2 large bagfuls of just trash and finds our missing (like 4) bowls full of moldy food, hidden in a dresser.
This was fairly recently. Then So has been lax about our no eating in rooms policy, and just this morning before work, I saw a bunch of dishes in various forms of decomposition, food I bought.

Yeah. Trust is a five-letter word.

CLove's picture

OH MY - I just read some of your blogs from September 2016. The room issue, and house destruction. Our house is from 1967 - and clean/tidy, but the counters and sinks are a disaster. And SD, her furnishings have been destroyed by her various personal products - even nail polish on the carpets.

Cover1W's picture

Yep.

I would like to put new carpeting in the SDs rooms but NO WAY.
SD13 can't take care of the things she has no way am I putting $ into that room.
I want to re-do their bathroom (also the guest bath) as it's in real need of a new floor, toilet and tile work but until it's regularly taken care of there's no way I'm doing that. You don't get new stuff I you can't take care of your current things.
But DH knows this.

We're going to refinish the downstairs hallway floors and update the flooring in his office this summer when the SDs are gone. I know SD13 is going to have a little fit that nothing of 'hers' has been updated. Whatever.

DH was saying recently that "SD13 doesn't have anything. Her room is so bare it's like she doesn't live here." I said 1) Her room was cleaned out by both of us and we trashed a lot of TRASH and got rid of things she wasn't caring for - she did not complain ONCE 2) She's never asked for anything. So long as she has her phone and computer she doesn't care 3) have you checked in her dresser, the back of her closet and under her bed for stuff? Because that's where she puts things if it's not on the floor. 4) I am never going to buy her stuff she doesn't take care of but if you want to, have at it.

Tuff Noogies's picture

congrats!!!! it feels great, doesnt it!

it's taken my dh years. yes, YEARS. but he finally hit his breaking point with kaos and totally handles him on his own like a champ! we've been together almost 9 years, had the boys more than 50% of the time from years two thru six, then full time since aug 2013. so, dont give up!!! keep up your good work on disengaging w/ sd13.

Acratopotes's picture

yeah another one for disengagement team.... don't you sometimes wish you did it sooner?