Yesterday we took Jayde and her friend to a Legends Baseball game. It was a beautifully clear night, low humidity and we had four free tickets. It was a nice family night.
I called home earlier in the day and told Jayde that they needed to be ready to leave the house at 6:00pm. The game didn’t start until 7:05 and being a mid-week game, I figured it wouldn’t be that busy. Being teenage girls, there is always a delay so I wanted to give myself a bit of a buffer.
Of course, Jayde is running around at the last minute doing things that she could have done in the entire day prior to the 30 seconds before we needed to leave. She wanted to touch up the temporary tattoo if stars she has painted on her leg. So here is how the conversation went:
Me: “Are you guys ready?”
Jayde: “Yeah, I just need to touch up my tattoo.”
Me: “Right now? We are getting ready to leave. Couldn’t you have done that earlier?”
Jayde: “NO! I DIDNT HAVE TIME!”
Me: “You slept in and didn’t work. You were with Court most of the day. How did you not have time?”
Jayde: <points to her friend> “She wouldn’t let me leave, she wanted me to stay. I just haven’t had any time at home to do it.”
Me: <blank stare and loss of all rational thought> “Just get in the car and do it at the ballpark.”
What amazes me about this conversation is her total lack of reason and acceptance of fault. This is one of Jaydes biggest flaws and I hope in the next few years (or days) she manages to grow out of this and be a bit more humble in her mistakes. Ever since I can remember, she has been one to deny any wrong doing and blame as much as she can on other people, circumstances, bad luck and timing. She is not one of those people who can have a little humility in their life and say “crap, that was my fault. Sorry.”
I see this as a significant issue for her in a job, in a relationship, as a parent. Even scarier, she doesnt see what she is doing. Cant admit this fault. It drives me completely batty.
Aside from that conversation and the bickering that went on between her and my husband at the ball park – again about the tattoo paint – it was an enjoyable night.
Jayde and her friend participated in an on field competition of leap frog and wheel barrow -which was great to see her being uninhibited enough to go to it. The only part I wish was different was that she would have given up her prize to the 10 year old kids they competed against. Consideration for others isnt exactly a strong point for her either.
She did let me hug her a few times in the stadium though. Hugs from a teenager are alwaysa bonus.
