Surly Boy vs. Happy Boy who will win?

I swear there is no child out there who is slower than mine. I have told him many a time that he is slower than molasses in January. Molasses moves slow in that cold winter month. T, he moves at a sloth pace. I am constantly nagging in the morning.

‘T c’mon time to pack up and brush teeth.’

‘T I am going out to start car. Please pack up and brush teeth.’

‘Mom stop yelling at me.’

‘I am not yelling I need you to move. You are going to be late.’

‘Pshaw mom late is good.’

I am now at my wit’s end. I am approximately 2 seconds from screaming and stomping my feet.

Finally he is ready. 

Out we go.

Let me go back and explain some things. My ex and me share custody of T. One week I have him 24/7. Next week his dad has him. Not 24/7 because he works nights. T comes and sleeps here. 

Helps out the ex and as I do not have an afternoon sitter, he takes T for a couple extra hours. Works out to benefit us both. 

Well last week January 6th to January 14th a.m. was my week with T. We had an amazing week. No fights. Got up great. Showered when I asked him to. Did his chores. Now fast forward to the next week January 14th p.m. to January 20th at 4 p.m. when T is dropped off for my week. From Monday January 14th until Friday January 18th I do not know who the child was living in my house.

He was grouchy. He bitched at me. He screamed at me. I was so done.

Friday morning as we are on the way to school I had had enough with the bickering and the snarky attitude.

‘Dude when you come home on Sunday, I want the good kid T from my week last time. I do not want surly T who was here all week long.’

He looks at me and grins.

‘No I cannot handle this. Why are you such a dick?’

For those of you who think I am being harsh, you have not had the privilege of meeting my child. He is a smart ass. He is mouthy. He is always right. He tells me that he cannot wake on his own it is just too hard. Never mind that if I do not get him up at his designated time I pay for that as well.

‘Because mom, I should be with my dad. At his place. This is his week.’

‘I know buddy, but I am helping your dad out. He works nights there is not much we can do.’

‘But it is dad’s week. I should be sleeping there.’

‘Babe I am helping your dad out. Much as he helps me out after school on my week. Why should your dad pay a sitter when I can do it? You come and you sleep. You snarl and argue with me. I know that this is not ideal but for now, this is how it goes.’

T was silent the rest of the way to school. When we got there he hopped out grabbed his bag and smiled at me.

‘I love you mom. See you Sunday.’

‘I love you too baby.’

As he closed the car door he blew me a kiss. Something he has stopped doing. Too cool for that. I caught my kiss and touched my cheek before blowing a kiss out to him.

I get it. T spends a lot of time with me. With his dad, who works nights, he gets a few hours after school from Monday to Thursday and than OMG he is back at mom’s. Mom nags. Dad does not. Friday and Saturday he is with dad. T feels, believes that he should be at dad’s for the whole week. I keep explaining to him about the money factor. He kinda gets it.

Reality is…….

for T there is one week with mom. One week with dad. When with mom she is always there. When with dad (redundant) he works nights and mom is there again. And again.

And I pick. I bug. I make him talk to me.

Anyways let us go back to my telling T that surly boy had to go and cheerful dude needed to rear his cute little head.

‘Maybe mom.’

‘No no maybe…….I want cheerful kid…..not miserable jerk.

T grins at me. I grin at him.

Who will show up tomorrow? Your guess is as good as mine.