Old Tricks

I'd have to say that one of the most frustrating things about parenting is not being able to relay that the events and environments that kids are entrenched in will eventually show to be somewhat meaningless. Jack and Gus have both been going through hard times, Gus socially and Jack with school-work and his teacher's expectations.
What I really want to tell them is to just say fuck it and in a few weeks we will be on to other things. I've tried to do that in a more motherly way by sharing my theory on institutional friendships; In prison and in school you align yourself with people that you normally under any other conditions would avoid. Just another simple lesson that adds a little perspective.

When I was in labor with Gus (it was back labor and it was 24 hours and it was at home) My midwife had a gal come with her whom I named Brenda and she let me, though that was not really her name, but who was going to tell me anything. As I was in the midst of some other-worldly pain, she shared what has been obvious to many but was way new to me. This too shall pass. Perhaps if I'd had a religious upbringing I'd have been familiar with this concept. But I didn't so it was all news to me. Albeit re-hashed and old news for many, it changed my chant of "I'm leaving now" to a much more appropriate "I'm leaving when I'm done with this next contraction". See how that works!