Even Post-D, the sitch turns amazingly like a rollercoaster.
When I showed at S5's swim lesson yesterday afternoon, I watched him for a bit poolside, then walked to the bleachers. W smiled brightly and scooted over for me to sit next to her. I noticed she had ashes smeared on her face, and she showed me two burned plastic cups. Turns out, a 12yo she had hired as a babysitter to watch S5 and a 6you playmate while she put in an afternoon at work had decided to show the boys some "magic" and started a fire in a bathroom in my house.
My heart raced as I thought about how dangerous that was for S5, and W seemed right there with me. We agreed that the babysitter was fired. W commented that she's reached a point where she doesn't feel safe about S5 unless he's with her or me. She also commented about shifting priorities at work to be with him more. This is HUGE, as she is moving healthily from over-emphasizing career/work to increasing the importance of her R with S5.
She called me in the evening after my teaching to tell me the babysitter's father came over with the 12yo, who lied about what happened. Fortunately, W stood her ground, said she believed S5 and noted that she and I agreed that we'd have to make other arrangements. She invited me over to check in with S5, and I gave him great compliments/kisses/hugs for telling W and I the truth about what happened, refusing the babysitter's request to keep the fire a "secret." We talked a bit, and I gave her WOA for her mothering and protection of S5.
W seems to have responded well to my boundary setting regarding finances. I've received relaxed smiles in the hallway today.
