Attack of the Cleaning Elf

[elfs]

Omaha came back from Portland this afternoon after going overnight to some minor academic thing on video gaming that probably didn't get as much press as it should (she thinks she might have been the only journalist there), with a tale to tell about the abuses of the TSA. By the time she'd gotten back I'd done five loads of laundry and cleaned the kitchen, although the floor still needs to be mopped.

We did the usual Costco thing. My cat is going through a neurosis because, with her front claws clipped, she can no longer clamber up onto the bed. Poor kitty.

Kouryou-chan ran around outside all day with the kids from next door. At one point, one of the children got a splinter in her finger. She thought it was a beesting because there were bees on the flowers, but no it was just a splinter. I put on my reading glasses and tugged at it with tweezers because her parents weren't about and the sixteen-year-old assigned to watch them didn't know what to do or how. I'm starting to notice that those kids are actually taking some moral cues from Omaha, and that's encouraging, if a little too little too late.

Comments

[velvet-wood.livejournal.com]

Sad, isn't it? There's a little girl who lives about a block away from us, named Mary. About a year ago, Mary was being a total little beast to my kids, until at one point she tried to hit Jaime on the back of the head with a metal hand mirror, and his Aikido reflexes kicked in and he flipped her over his shoulder and had her down on the ground, the 'weapon' hand immobolized before _either_ of them knew what was happening. That was sort of a turning point, and they started getting along and playing together, especially Mary and Shali, who are the same age. Then, one morning, just about every child who waits at our busstop got into a scuffle. My sister went out, to see what the problem was, and deal with ours, and was settling things down, when Mary's father came out, and proceded to throw a screaming hissy fit, and the poor child turned deathly pale and started shaking, even though he wasn't even yelling at her. Since then... we've been watching, and the little girl just doesn't act right. Loud and bossy one moment, scared and hiding the next. Nothing I can call CPS on, but... like your little friend, she doesn't go home when she's hurt. Three or four times now, I've answered the door to find a little freckled redhead on my step, eyes full of tears, with some cut or scrape or insect sting needing cleaning or bandaging or just some attention, and the whole time she just watches me with these big, amazed eyes like she can't believe an adult would ever possibly pay attention to or try to help _her_. It's pitiful. And of course, not once has a parent ever came and asked exactly what I doctored their child with or for.

[memegarden.livejournal.com]

Yikes. Glad she at least has a friendly neighbor to provide a model for how adults ought to be treating her--that can make a huge difference.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Yowsa.

A case from a couple a years ago bothers me. Some kid was riding her bicycle without her hands, leapt right out in front of a car, and the guy stopped in time. After he got out and saw that she was alright, he grabbed her by the arm and proceeded to tell her how stupid she was for riding her bike that way.

He's now a registered sexual predator. How's that for fair and balanced treatment? "Illegal restraint of a minor," I think is what he has on his record.

I can totally understand where he was coming from. I'd've been that angry at the kid too. And I'm afraid that my tendency to view my parenting responsibilities as an extension of my social responsibilities might put me in that kind of awkward position someday. Hope not.

[lisakit.livejournal.com]

You know, if your instincts are telling you something's wrong there I'd call your local child protective services and talk to them. If you're unsure, you can just tell them of what you've observed (without identifying anyone) and ask if *they* think it's something they should investigate and/or what action would be appropriate for you to take.

It's heartbreaking to see something like that. Good on ya for being such a good neighbor.

[woggie.livejournal.com]

If the kids next door decide to rebel against their parents by being more Omaha-ish, I can't say that would be a bad thing. :)

[fallenpegasus]

One can obtain "climing stair" for older cats. Or just use a cardboard box or such like for them.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Believe it or not, we've tried that and Dinah doesn't like them. She doesn't "get" the use of them and disdains using them. We've tried to encourage her to use the one we bought for her but she just keeps trying to get up on the bed without it.