I had a good day lined up - play basketball with s13 then take d17 to a movie ('Insurgent'). Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men...
S13 was again in a sour mood. As an example, I asked him last night if he wanted to go today's movie and he said "no". I asked him again this morning, and he started screaming and yelling at me. This is not like him at all. It did not escalate from there, but he was still tough to be around.
Basketball was fun though. A shorter 8 year old decided to play with us, and he was a good dribbler with a decent shot. They played 1-on-1, a battle of a quick shorter player against my tall and big son. Everyone had fun.
So I was in a good mood when I went to pick up d17. She was also in a good mood b/c she has a tea/luncheon tomorrow with one of the colleges out east that accepted her. The movie was great, and we both enjoyed it. I invited her to eat at a place nearby, but she politely declined.
But on the ride back to W's place, things turned sour. After some light talk about the movie, we talked about W/mom's not having insurance. I know when I stopped paying insurance (last September it was finally switched over). And d17 was trying to explain that W/mom only stopped carrying insurance over the winter when she was driving a friend's car. I knew this was wrong, but I wasn't going to argue about it. I left it at "you do a good job defending your mother."
Then I wanted to talk about tomorrow's informational tea/lunch with an eastern college. D17 is brilliant, but she is not gifted in being in social settings. So I brought up that she might want to try something called "active listening", for the purpose of being someone who can hold a good conversation. D17 got offended.
D17 told me that this was just an informational meeting and she could do quite well without any of my help. I was hurt and said "well, I guess you know best." And d17 shot back, "aren't you Mr. know-it-all". After a few minutes of cold silence, I changed the subject back to the movie, and when we got back to W's place I wished her well for tomorrow's meeting.
It was also this past week W told me while we were doing taxes that I think I know-it-all, and that I spout off on anything without knowing what I was talking about. But this is the first time I have heard d17 attack me like this, and I didn't like it. There is some underlying anger at me in d17, and when I hardly get to see or talk to her, I don't think I can do anything about it. And I don't know why.
And yes, the charges are accurate. I am well read, and I know a little bit about many topics, and I like sharing my opinion. But I don't think I was wrong here, trying to prepare d17 for an important college gathering tomorrow. This is frustrating.
