I posted this photo yesterday, but then applied some special effects to it, so I thought it fitting to post again.
My relationship with my 3y,2mo. old daughter has finally reached the public maturation point of "Who the hell are you again? My dad? ...No, I don't think so. I'm here with 'my people' " kind-of- spot. We went to Ruta Maya (a local coffee shop) yesterday afternoon and I turned out to be the Last person that she wanted to hang out with while we were there. Sure, it makes sense; she only hangs out with me litterally 'all the time'. However, it's still a bit awkward when you're trying to protect the general population from the over confident, over bearing, quite pushy nature of your 3 y.o. child. I mean, who 'wants' to say no to a kid who asks you, "Hey, can I sit here next to you and play with your smart phone"? Probably most people, but who wants to be put in a position to actually Say "No, I don't really want you to do that"? Again, No One, I'm sure.
In trying to stop this obvious (to me) public dilemma I wind up (again, to me) looking like the overbearing and insistent father figure of some kid's bad dream. I don't like playing this role, but there are still rules, even and especially, in public. "Shayla, you must ask those kind people if it's okay if you sit with them for a bit, not just walk up and plunk down like you've known them all your little life", I say to her and the table of the two twenty-something girls. "No, I'm going to stay here", she says while the girls simultaneously give their approving nods and smiles. Still, this doesn't give me the 'warm fuzzies'!! I don't like playing that role of Big Daddy Censor! Too late! One would say, "then you buddy, are in the wrong profession" I clearly hear in the back of my mind! Well, that doesn't mean that I have to like it, does it? Nah, of course not. I have to say that I will enjoy scaring the crap out of suitors in 12 or 13 years, but this stuff?? Let me tell you...this is not fun.
If that were not enough, she also managed to adopt an extra set of grandparents while we were there, even going so far as to call the old man 'paw paw'! My jaw was on the floor! It wasn't the first time and I know it sure as hell will not be the last!! Of course I allowed this little stage play as I didn't want to go from 'truancy officer' dad to 'state warden' dad all in the same day.
All the above is very humorous to me in a 'dry' sort of way, if a little embarrassing.
In trying to stop this obvious (to me) public dilemma I wind up (again, to me) looking like the overbearing and insistent father figure of some kid's bad dream. I don't like playing this role, but there are still rules, even and especially, in public. "Shayla, you must ask those kind people if it's okay if you sit with them for a bit, not just walk up and plunk down like you've known them all your little life", I say to her and the table of the two twenty-something girls. "No, I'm going to stay here", she says while the girls simultaneously give their approving nods and smiles. Still, this doesn't give me the 'warm fuzzies'!! I don't like playing that role of Big Daddy Censor! Too late! One would say, "then you buddy, are in the wrong profession" I clearly hear in the back of my mind! Well, that doesn't mean that I have to like it, does it? Nah, of course not. I have to say that I will enjoy scaring the crap out of suitors in 12 or 13 years, but this stuff?? Let me tell you...this is not fun.
If that were not enough, she also managed to adopt an extra set of grandparents while we were there, even going so far as to call the old man 'paw paw'! My jaw was on the floor! It wasn't the first time and I know it sure as hell will not be the last!! Of course I allowed this little stage play as I didn't want to go from 'truancy officer' dad to 'state warden' dad all in the same day.
All the above is very humorous to me in a 'dry' sort of way, if a little embarrassing.