I'm a Frayed Knot

Seriously, people!  Why did Nebraska have to do away with that law whereby you could drop off your child, of any age, at a hospital for any reason with no legal repercussion.  I've got a 13 year old whom I'd like to put in a box with a sign that reads 'Free to Good Home'.  The home doesn't even have to be that good.  I've got low standards.

This particular boy has some medical issues that cause him to have stiff legs.  With PT he could improve quite a bit, but he's not so interested in working on it.  Unfortunately for him, he also wants to wrestle in school.  He wrestled last year in 7th grade.  Our coach had to tell the other coach that their team couldn't bend his legs hard.  Now that he is in 8th grade, that doesn't seem quite fair to tell the other team they can't wrestle him fairly.  SO, because I don't want to stand in his way of miraculous wrestling success, I made a deal with him. If he would work on his knee flexibility throughout the year, we would give wrestling serious consideration. (He can do serious damage to his joints if they are just wrenched back).  He agreed to this.  He worked on his knees a grand total of 4 times.

Yesterday he called me from school to say, "Mom, I think I'm going to go out for wrestling and today is the meeting so I'll have to stay after school for that."

EXCUSE ME???????  I'm telling you that this boy lives in a magical land where he is entitled to everything he REALLY wants, simply becuase he REALLY wants it.  Oh, wouldn't that be nice?  I told him that he was not going out for wrestling and I'd pick him up at the regular time.  He was not happy.

After school when we 'discussed' (that's the nice blogger way of saying I railed at him for 35 hours) it he said that he figured I'd change my mind and besides 'I would get what I want and he would get what he wants.'  Oh that was rich...I asked what he meant.  He said that he would get to wrestle and I would get good grades!  (He actually believed this was sound reasoning).

And yet, I had to question him as to WHY, on God's green earth, could he not get good grades unless he was wrestling?  He said that he couldn't wrestle if he had an "F", therefore, he would keep his grades up.

Ridiculous reasoning aside, I pointed out that he had failed to hold up his end of our bargain.  He said he just thinks it's hopeless and he won't improve so he doesn't work on it.  (Same line of thought that promped him to sit on the couch and watch TV while grounded rather than clean baseboards in family room.  There are couches and chairs in there and it would be hard to get to baseboards.  So, he didn't even try.)  Is your blood pressure rising yet, or is it just me?

There is no rational conversation with him.  He only sees his point of view and argues with statements that don't even make sense.  WHY do I get drawn in?  Because I continue to harbor hope that one day...ONE DAY he is going to dial in and get it.

I know I am ranting here.  I see that.  I own that.  But lately I am just up to my eyeballs in doing what needs to be done for everyone and everything; plus my BFF Sharon gave me till 2pm CST to stew about it and then I have to get out of the pot and let it go.  She's a good friend like that.  She didn't say I had to get over myself immediately.  I really appreciate that.

WELL, now that I've got that off my chest, I'm going to march on with the day.  At 2:00 pm CST I will officially LET IT GO and then I will go enjoy my 4th grader's Halloween Party at school.  Sure wish I still had some of those Snicker bars to take.