Thanks for the pep talk, Hairdude! I am working on this, I really am. Yesterday, during one of our usual "crisis" at the Chocolateeyes household, I was trying to help solve a schedule confict for Mrs. Choc. She was steaming over the situation (not my fault, just a scheduling conflict in a busy-with-4-kids life), and just IGNORED what I was saying.
Choc.: Hello? I'm trying to talk to you.
Mrs. Choc.: (nothing)
Choc.: I don't appreciate being ignored when I'm trying to help you.
Mrs. Choc.: (screaming now) Well, I can't DO all of this, I'm only one person, and blah-blah-blah...
Choc.: (calmly) Well, first you're ignoring me, and now you're screaming at me, and I can't talk to you when you're like this. (walking away)
Mrs. Choc.: (seething) Well, fine, DON'T talk to me, I really don't care, blah-blah-blah..
Later yesterday, she called me and was VERY nice and sweet, and even apologized (altho, as usual, the actual WORDS "I'm sorry" still don't manage to ever cross her lips, but for HER it was an apology) for her behavior that morning.
That may not seem huge for the rest of you, but for me this was one in a series of three moments recently where I've been doing a better job of not putting up with her tantrums.
