Saturday, July 23, 2011

Daughter's New Goal

At 10:17 this morning I finished mowing the front yard and came in to refill my water bottle. Daughter walked by carrying the clothes she planned to put on. I ignored her and got my water. She muttered about my unfair treatment of her and returned to her bedroom to get dressed.
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At 10:40 I had finished half of the back yard and came in to get a baseball cap to hold up my hair and keep the sweat out of my eyes. She offered a cursory apology, and I explained that when she'd done some work, to let me know and I'd get her breakfast. She checked her blood sugar, which was very high, so I didn't worry about not feeding her right away.
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It was 11:15 and I had finished mowing and done some weeding. I sat down in one of the chairs on the front porch to drink some more water and take a break. Daughter came out and joined me. She again apologized for being a turd. Then she informed me there was a reason she was treating me that way, but she couldn't tell me because I'd explode. I pointed out that I don't explode very often, and suggested she tell me the reason.
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Yesterday when we were at the doctor's we were discussing some menstrual irregularities. We're going to monitor them for now, but Daughter freaked out that there might be a problem. She called me yesterday afternoon and told me all her hair down there had come out. I told her to relax, she'd be fine. When she got home, she informed me she had a "massive infection" and insisted come look at the missing hair. I quickly determined she had shaved. I again assured her she'd be fine.
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So this morning she told me there was a reason she'd shaved. She has been exchanging instant messages on facebook with a Guy she knew in Previous State. She informed me their entire conversation was "about the S word." She intends to go back to Previous State and "ruin my life." I kid you not-- she won't even say the word, and she recognizes that moving in with this guy is not a good idea, but her goal is to "ruin my life."
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I didn't explode, much to her disappointment. I asked her what she wanted me to say. She wants me to tell her she can't do it. I'm not going to do that. I'm also not going to allow her access to a computer. She assures me that Guy is doing great-- he's working in industry, living on his own, and paying all of his own bills. I asked if facebook was the only way she was communicating with him, and she explained that he lived in a part of Previous State where he couldn't get long distance phone service.
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She did a little bit of work badly, and I gave her oatmeal and milk to eat. Now she's planning to walk to the library. I'm sure she thinks she can get on the computer and message him. She doesn't have a realistic plan for getting there-- she has $5, and she plans to buy a bus ticket and take the bus back. Of course, the bus doesn't stop within 30 miles of where he lives, and she has no idea where the bus station is here or what a ticket would cost. She's going to do lots of work to earn the money for the ticket, including cleaning around here and cleaning the homes of several church members. I wonder if she really thinks we'll give her the money to achieve her goal of "ruining my life."
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It's going to be an interesting weekend, to say the least.

4 comments:

Kristin said...

On the bright side, she is working towards a goal?

Sorry, probably inappropriate. And probably funnier in my head.

Reverend Mom said...

Kristin,
I'm trying to find the humor in it. Yesterday I was telling Sister something she'd done and smiling. Daughter said, "It's not funny." I told her if I didn't laugh, I'd cry.

Kristin said...

When I read your blog, I just shake my head. There is a fundamental disconnect between what Daughter wants and what she does to accomplish that goal. Why does she think it will ruin your life if she manages to run off and get pregnant? I don't think Daughter is cognitively capable of sustaining her own health through a pregnancy, much less that of a baby.

To her, she's extremely serious about some things but she just can't problem solve enough to get it done.

Reverend Mom said...

There are major disconnects-- early trauma damages connections. With Daughter I always struggle wih what is can't and what is won't. It doesn't help that her abilities vary from one day to the next.