yeah, i did it.
Jan. 19th, 2004 01:03 pmi made my mother cry.
i didn't intend to, but in a way i'm a little bit not sorry that she did end up in tears -- because that was the point at which she said she didn't want to be the parent you wish wouldn't come to visit. and i don't wish she wouldn't come to visit; but i wish visiting was what she came for, rather than straightening up my place and putting stuff away, especially after the first time (rather than the third or sixth or ninth times) i said "mom, sit down, will you, i can deal with that later." it's fun for her to make order from chaos, i realize; but it's not fun for me, the (totally unintentional, but so what) implication that the chaos i live in is in some way unacceptable.
anyway. she was upset that what she wanted to come down and help me do was something i didn't want help with, because she doesn't want me to wish she hadn't bothered (and she doesn't want to be that mom). and we understand each other, and next time she won't have those same expectations. or so she says. :-)
i didn't intend to, but in a way i'm a little bit not sorry that she did end up in tears -- because that was the point at which she said she didn't want to be the parent you wish wouldn't come to visit. and i don't wish she wouldn't come to visit; but i wish visiting was what she came for, rather than straightening up my place and putting stuff away, especially after the first time (rather than the third or sixth or ninth times) i said "mom, sit down, will you, i can deal with that later." it's fun for her to make order from chaos, i realize; but it's not fun for me, the (totally unintentional, but so what) implication that the chaos i live in is in some way unacceptable.
anyway. she was upset that what she wanted to come down and help me do was something i didn't want help with, because she doesn't want me to wish she hadn't bothered (and she doesn't want to be that mom). and we understand each other, and next time she won't have those same expectations. or so she says. :-)