There are a few things which have been bugging me lately. I have a friend I usually grouse about these things with, but she's moving this week, so we haven't gotten to talk. Then I thought to myself, "Self, you should tell the Internets. They will understand."
Here's what's bugging me/My opportunities for sainthood
1. I hate the voice recognition thing when I call the electric department. I used to think that "Press 1 for..." was annoying. Then they introduced the whole "Say 1 for..." and I longed to be able to simply press a number.
It doesn't matter where I hide in my house. I've even tried hiding in my husband's closet with the door closed. The children always come and find me. They shriek "I've found her! She's hiding in the garage under the car!" and the stupid thing says "Return to Main Menu" and I have to start all over again. The three year old can get it to switch to Spanish with a high pitched shriek and the 1 year old's cry must sound as if I'm done because it will invariably reply "Thank you for calling. Good bye."
2. Those little dots I get when I type in my password. Can secrecy be an option? I get that if I were online at McDonald's while the children were in the playplace ( I would never do this. I watch my children play for hours and never get bored by the "Watch me slide again, Mommy!" ) then I would want my password to be concealed.
But at home? I want to know what I'm typing because sometimes I think I may have messed it up. But then I'm not really sure I've messed it up, so I delete it anyway. I have to. I only get so many tries with some websites before they lock me out for 24 hours. If I had that kind of time I'd go do stuff in person. I'm in a hurry, that's why I'm doing stuff online in the first place.
Can the computer people not give me and option? "Click here for password protection." That's all I'm saying.
3. The Computer Guy and I went to look at cars this weekend. Big giant church bus vans. The sales man was great. He seemed to get exactly what we wanted. (He was new. I'm sure that they'll beat the helpfulness out of him at some point.) We explained to him that our car is paid off and seats everyone, but our boys are growing and something bigger is in our near future. We also told him that we can hold out for a good deal but will buy now if the price is right. He showed us everything they have in behemoth transportation.
He was great. The manager who was supposed to tell us the price was not. He refused to give us a price on two of the three vans because "You aren't ready to buy today." Really? We brought our checkbook and the title for our trade in. Then on the third van he told us a price which was way high. I smiled sweetly and said "The place in Dallas has the same model with fewer miles for $6000 less than you are asking." He replied "I hope you enjoy the drive to Dallas."
I thought the economy was tanking. It's not. It's so good that they won't even sell you a car when you show up ready to talk numbers. I guess people don't talk numbers anymore, they talk "What kind of payment can you afford?" Maybe that's why the economy is tanking.
Just a thought.
4. Waiting is killing me. We're moving in the Spring. (Did you know?) I'm ready to just go. Let's rip the band aid off and stop prolonging the agony. I'm not a patient person. Can we just go already?
5. The 3 year old is the size of a kindergartner and still not potty trained. He adamantly refuses to even sit near the potty, forget about on it. My Achilles heel of mothering is potty training. I'm not good at it. Eventually they just get tired of listening to me and give in. I hear about people who can teach their kids in a day or a weekend. It takes me months of begging, pleading, bribing and yelling to get there. Is there someone I can hire for this? Do you have their number?
That's what's bugging me. Anything you need to share with the class?
22 comments:
I am an absolute failure at potty training. Tristan is displaying all the signs of readiness. Gee...don't I *sound* like I know what I'm doing? I've obviously read all the books.
Anyway, Tristan seems ready but I am so not. Newborn, homeschooling, housekeeping...I SO don't want to add potty training to the mix.
I can hear it now...
"TRISTAN PEED ON MY FLOOR!!!!
"Moooommmmmm, TRISTAN POOPED HIS PANTS!!!"--that one will inevitably come as we are trying to head out the door.
Tristan may be displaying all the signs of toilet learning readiness but I.am.not.
Ugh, the potty training. My first two trained so easily, so quickly, few accidents. Number three has "marked" our house all over for the past six months. I didn't want to even start but she kept ripping off her diapers.
Good luck - I've tried everything but if you think of something, please post it on your blog!
I hate that with the car salesman, same thing happened to us last summer: test-drove a van, then waited an hour while the guy low-balled our trade and presented us with the price that had been listed on their website (which they'd refused to tell us in person, and refused to budge on). You're right, they don't want to talk numbers, only payments.
I'm guessing potty-training is easier when you have 2 parents around all day and only one other kid needing attention... good luck!
I'm with you on the voice recognition. I can't use it. Google has that free directory service which is useless to me.
I loath the automated teller also, Remember when someone actually answered the phone? I think they were called receptionists. wouldn't that be great for someone entering the workforce?
Oh, wow, I totally agree on all this, and especially the phone thing. I have to hide in my laundry room, and that means my kids are left unattended for a long stretch.... You know how that goes!! UGH!
I swear, a fleet manager could show up at our little Catholic school and sell at least 5 behemouths. I've even resorted to leaving notes on vans I see in parking lots! I can't believe there are no good deals, but it's true, we can't find jack. This thrills my 14 year old who, does not, under any circumstances, want to ride in a big white van that beebs when it backs up. Good bye dreams of an aisle...it was beautiful while it lasted.
It is so good to hear that I am not the only one with issues in potty training. Not that I want anyone to be a failure, but I guess misery loves company with stuff like that. :) With our oldest 3 we have had various, major issues, and now #4 is showing signs and I just do not want to deal with it because every time I try to have a positive attitude about it, it all goes awry. I am so jealous of all those moms out there who potty train in a day or a weekend! Do I need to confess that? I am totally with you on the automated voice thing too. Ugh.
hilarious. all so true. what is up with the lets talk payments bs?! good observation, it is DEF why the economy is tanking (I am a convert since my CPA husband, before him I had a six year loan-yikes!)
potty parties. my friends have them (behavior field). my mom says when they ask you to be trained it goes fast, if it is your idea-forget it. years. lol I hope it works out before kindergarten. It wouldn't really matter except diapers are so dang expensive. I am tired of hearing how people train their kid before 2. Shut it. :)
#5 is 2 1/2 and is potty training herself, because I just spent 10 years trying to train my three middle boys--they aren't at all easy and I'm tired of dealing with it! It has nothing to do with me--she wants to go in the potty (but I put a pull-up on her as much as possible). Boys don't seem to care as much!
Love, Suzanne
Here's a thought. Tell the dealer you want to make payments, get a sweet deal (make sure there are no penalties for early payoff) then pay the van off in the second month. Car dealers are real idiots, I let Vince deal with them alone now because if I go with him I will pull him aside and whisper 'This guy is a sleaze lets go' then we end up out the door. -Loretta
oh man!! I was really hoping you would get some good tips on the potty training! I guess all of us big family types feel the same way about it. I remember with my older children not being at all intimidated with potty training! I worked in daycare, I potty trained other people's kids, and talked them through it! Now? I can't figure out what the heck I'm doing and it gives me nightmares!!
Love ya lady!
PandQ-
i think after 17 years of being up to our elbows in poop and pee,us moms of big families are just d.o.n.e with all the ins and outs (pun intended) of elimination.
At this point, I basically refuse to potty train until they are almost three. My first one was a nightmare; I think partly because I felt pressured to start too early. The second one just decided on Christmas day when she was just past three that she was ready and stayed dry pretty much ever after.
Just hang in there and try to relax. He will get it eventually. I think potty training is like teaching kids how to read...they will get it if we are just patient with their own body's time table.
My "secret" to potty training is waiting until my kids are about 3 1/2 to 4 and orchestrating it so that it is "their idea". With all three of my boys it pretty much happened overnight. (Which is not to say that having three in diapers at the same time wasn't painful in the grocery check out line.) In my observation of my friends' kids it is a major error to try to potty train when your child is too young and/or not more excited that you are about getting out of diapers.
In 2003 I moved from a big city (Denver) that I loved to a small town (Hewitt, TX) that I was NOT excited about. My feelings started to turn around, however, when I called to set up the electrical service and an actual person answered the phone on the third ring. What a concept! My kids hate it when I am on the phone with a voice recognition system -- they say "mom, you sound so MAD when you talk on the phone with those things!".
Awesome blog, I hadn't noticed shovedtothem.blogspot.com before during my searches!
Keep up the fantastic work!
I worked at a Chevy dealership for all of a few weeks, and can tell you personally, that they TRAIN you to do that. The Chevy dealership I worked for taught us to get the credit score first and foremost. Why? Because the score would tell us whether or not it was a sale (AKA - whether to shmooze you or kick you to the curb). My wife and I were car shopping last year, and stopped at a different Chevy dealership. Same exact tactics and approach. I called their every move. We did not buy from them. I guess it's just a Chevy thing... The Mitz dealership we went with was nothing like that. They were incredibly helpful!
Potty training. As long as they still make diapers that fit, I'm kind of indifferent. Sooner or later, they get tired of sitting in crap.
Oh, I agree with all.
I could not get my daughter potty trained. Finally, out of desperation we bribed her. My grandmother bought a really bright colored tape player (any bright colored fun toy would work) and let my daughter play with it for a little while. Then, Gram set it up on a high shelf were my daughter could always see it. Gram told my daughter that as soon as she went 3 days and nights without wetting or messing her diapers, the tape player was hers for keeps, but if she went back to wetting and pooping in her diapers, it would go in the trash. Worked like a charm.
For our kids, we used a "potty chart". Two sides numbered 1 and 2. If they went number 1 in the toilet, they could put a sticker on side 1. If the went number 2 in the toilet, they got 2 stickers for side 2.
Really worked for my #1. My #2 is less impressed with stickers.
Hi!
For our big big van, we went to our auto sales guy who frequently goes to auctions and he got us a great deal!
stay clear of doing it on your own.
God bless,
Mary @CHeerios
I am a genius at potty training. I failed with the first so I didn't even try with the second. She saw all the big people to into the room for business and wanted to do likewise. I let her. 11 months, man, she is done. Like I said, genious. I left it up to her and never put a potty in. I have the ring that goes on the seat so they don't fall in, but I just said, "Lemme know if you need help." Genius.
I am a gunius at potty training. My first one, epic failure. It was a dry run for knowing what NOT do to with the second. Number 1 didnt' want to go, ADD issues made it harder, so I tell myself. #2 simply saw everyone go to the bathroom and by 11 months was going to the potty, by herself. I tell you, I am a genius. My sole contribution was "Lemme know if you need help" - that was it. She did it on her own and I will certainly take any credit you will give me. :)
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