If I had any doubts -

[kyburg]

If I could really do the parenting thing? Be tough enough? You know the scenario - you have to be the Big Bad Parent and say NO, mean it and not waver when the kid started crying? Oh so mean. Oh so unfair.

..Could I do it?

Yup. I'm sure now.

This niece of mine, my older brother's oldest - I'm only fourteen years older than her (heeey, silverkun, she's your age. I keep forgetting. It really isn't the years, is it?) - got hit on her way to work earlier this year. So hard, she was in the ER when she woke up and couldn't remember anything that happened, and lost three days on top of it. She'd been struck on the driver's side, and she was one hurt kid.

This wouldn't be much if she didn't have an 11-year old son. (A little something she got while she in the Air Force.)

There's been a settlement on the accident. Her parents have given her thousands to help her out, get into a new car and get back on her feet.

She lost her job while she was recovering from the accident - and while she landed another job, it didn't last past probation.

She hasn't worked full time since.

And now - NOW - it looks like she's going to get evicted. Save my ASSSSSS!

..

I don't have it in the bank, one. And two, no. Uh, I don't think she's even filed for unemployment, no.

And I swear, if I have to be in the same room with the histrionics and I CAN'Ts, I'll turn the garden hose on her.

I made her cry, big fat fucking hysterics, on the phone yesterday, and I'm not sorry. I am not a happy camper.

Can't? Sheesh. Like anyone is going to ask you if you can or can't get evicted. It happens, toots. Trust me on this. *rolls eyes* Honestly.

But I found some cash for her. And some shoes and school supplies for the kid. Hey, it's not his fault.

But yeah - I was surprised. No remorse at all.

Yeah, I can be mean enough. *blows air*

Oh - and?

Financially? I don't know what kind of message this sends me, but at ComicCon, Universal Studios had a credit-card promotion going on - you know, sign an application, get a t-shirt? Hey, free t-shirts are okay with me - and yeah, right, like you're going to give ME a credit card!

Holy chrome, they did. Not a big one, mind. But...buh.

So, while we make a lot - and spend a lot - we're doing better than I thought. I think.

And those cards are going straight into the lockbox. Does niece get them? Oh hell no.

I would still have to pay them back - which is something I don't think she's gotten through her thirty-year-old head yet.

Honestly.

And I've got a parenting "free" paper for resources down here to go through and lock down the day care questions I have.

So next month, we might even try this. If I don't chicken out again.

In other news, my second try at a Sims2 family appears to be a rousing success - the parents have moved into elder status ahead of their game, and the five kids (and yes, one of those pregnancies was the "rare" twins, ask me about it) are moving through childhoods in really good order, and the oldest is just about ready to leave home a star student. I'm still boggling at how pretty it is, compared to the original.

I'll give the Legacy Challenge a try later. My big, bad, blow-things-up husband? Cooes and squees at how cute everything is. It's adorable.

And sleep dep makes me VERY cranky. Not going to do that for a whole week again. Nobody deserves THAT.