Fallout

I don't know if you read the Suburban Snafu entry - you should have. In it I briefly describe the Labelers. Mr. Labeler is one of those poor souls that is never happy. He was talking about moving before they even finished closing on their house now. He demanded a particular style of door, and then, two weeks later, wants to buy a different kind. He does this about everything. What he says tomorrow will directly contradict what he said two months ago or will say one month from now. I can't keep up with his cockamemie schemes. And I don't know how to spell that word. Keeping that in mind, he has mentioned a few times over the course of the two years we have been neighbors that he wants to move away. Last month it was going to be when Spazzie started High School - he will start first grade this fall. The month before that, he loved our neighborhood and was never going to move.

Things between his wife and I have been fine, but a little different since the Snafu was addressed and handled. They have been spending a ton more time with him (their son) and a little bit more time outside. With all this, she had a revalation - he is out of control and she is stressed way the hell out. Those are her own words. I guess they ignored or overlooked how uncontrollable he is before because he was on his own in the neighborhood so much. Now that they are trying to reign him in and having to be around him more, they see it. He screams at them when he is asked to do something and has fits and tantrums every day. They don't believe in spanking, so there's that to chew on. Oh, and she's a child therapist........... a CHILD THERAPIST, people! Hmmmmmm. Good luck with that, and I will not be contacting you if my child ever needs one.

Anyway, Mr. Labeler is a band teacher and is switching to a different high school this year in a better part of town. Mrs. Labeler told me last night that if he doesn't like it (as if), they are going to put the house up for sale and move far away.

cricket....cricket...cricket...

I assume this is because of one of the following reasons:

1) She is still pissed off at me.
2) She thinks a new setting will make her marriage and child issues better.
3) She has given up fighting him on every back and forth opinion he has.


I am leaning towards #1. I think she knows that while things are okay between us again, they will never be like they used to. I think she is also concerned, after seeing her child in action, that he is very difficult and thinks moving away will help. I don't think either of these "reasons" are valid, personally. You cannot live in a subdivision, let your child run free and not have compromises that must be made with the neighbors. And I seriously doubt all others would be as kind about it as me. If you child is out of control, moving will not change his behavior.

While I would hate to see her go, things have changed between us. I have lost a great deal of respect for her. She allows that child to scream at her, hit her, break things and throw fits and nothing is ever done - there is no punishment or consequences. It's like she has just given up - and he is only 6 years old. Things are only going to get worse. But yet, she is so very quick to dissect another child's personality traits and condemn the parenting if she sees a "flaw." Weird, huh.

Anyway - given her husband's penchant for blowing in the wind, he may decide not to move. Who knows? But for the time being, I will just sit back and watch it all unfold. At the very least, it provides Pants and me some good topics to discuss.