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The Joy of Stepparenting!

Endora's picture

SS16 "Zippy" manages to fly just under the radar re school, work, home, life in general. This young man's ethic is to do as little as possible -the absolute bare minimum to get by in all areas of his life.

DH tactic is every once in awhile taking a stab at real parenting with no follow up or follow through, and of course apologizing to Zippy if parenting causes any discomfort to SS.

Zippy sneaks around the house "suddenly appearing" and scaring the pants off people. He also makes himself invisible so he won't be asked to do anything-kid does not initiate anything and has no concept of team work in a family. DH with his "special glasses" thinks this kid is the be all and end all of a second coming-the air on the planet is not good enough for Zippy to breath.

Two things about the weekend. DH and I were driving to the store we were talking about what precious Zippy will do after high school next year(hopefully move out, fat chance!).

DH says: "I think I will get Zippy into a trade-maybe carpentry or something...

Endora: (nearly spitting out her Tim Horton's coffee with the image of Zippy doing actual labour) says:

"DH, I cannot see Zippy doing that for a living.

DH (with complete indignation) says
"Zippy is a perfectly capable young man and could easily do that type of work".

Endora: "I just don't think Zippy is suited to any job that requires a sustained effort, Zippy is capable -I just don't think that trade is a match for him -IMHO.

SUNDAY

DH worked on Sunday. Zippy crawls out of bed at the crack of 12:30pm-grabs a box of cereal, milk and a bowl-saying nothing to me on the way by-heads downstairs to play "Guitar Hero"-Zippy has a VERY expensive sub-woofer (Thanks BM) and fake but loud drums that go with the game. SS has a Star Trek ridiculous looking headset on (to teleconference with other Guitar Hero players-kind of like a teleconference). My BS has just come off a late shift and unfortunately has a bedroom downstairs across from Zippy's playroom-Zippy proceeds to boom his sub-woofer and rail on the "fake" drums-as I start to clean upstairs. Fast Forward to 6:15pm , DH is home and I made a nice roast chicken dinner. (Zippy has not come up for air once)-we all sit down to dinner , it has snowed here so DH says to the boys-who wants to shovel the driveway-my BS pipes up "I will" Zippy sits there with his entitled look on his face while his father gazes lovingly into Zippy's eyes -"Well son you finally get a break from shovelling the driveway (we have had no snow for two weeks!) :sick:

Zippy heads back downstairs-Guitar Heroing so loudly we have to turn the TV up and shut the basement door(can't tell the kid to stop, he needs to play you know!)-DH starts to get fed up with the noise-poor BS is down there listening to Zippy Whoop it up on the fake drums, hooting and hollering into the silly headset he wears, sub-woofer booming-until past 10pm-DH has to pull Zippy off the video game-awww peace at last-for a few hours...just in time to see DH give perfect Zippy a big old bear hug and pat on the back to send SS16 off to beddy byes-such ends another great weekend stepparenting-YUCK!

Comments

SerendipitySM's picture

I think that Zippy would have a bright, promising future in the food industry - I would have your DH buy him a hairnet and teach him to ask - "would you like fries with that"?

Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist. - George Carlin

sweetthing's picture

think Zippy could be a carpenter? Is this like What would Jesus do? I know he thinks Zippy is comparatable to Jesus & he was a carpenter... I think a hairnet would be a better bet.

Endora's picture

Where he works the least amount of hours he can possibly get -he wears a hairnet in the seafood department of our local grocery store-I think that is probably where he will stay for the duration of his career years-IF THEY KEEP HIM!

Crayon-Loved the AWWW INSIDNESS! I hope Zippy is not an indication of how Junior will end up as a teen! Even DH says

"I cannot figure out why Zippy wants to stay a baby so long"? :?

Would have nothing to do with the fact that no one lets the kid think for himself or do anything for himself :O

Step Parenting – you might need to step back before you step in something!

Endora's picture

Live in a Government town--I think I will suggest the Federal Public Service-oops he would have to speak French to have a federal government job in this city....Darn

There's always Municipal Government.....

Step Parenting – you might need to step back before you step in something!

sam's picture

My ss 16 is exactly like yours does nothing all day and when he doesnt want to go to school which is pretty much every week he isnt feeling good on one of those days.It is so predictable i can tell he doesnt want to go if he is not up within 10 min of his alarm.I tell his dad that he misses at least 1 day or more a week of school since it started in june but dad says nothing to him.Doesnt make any effort to do a chore and i mean nothing.Does not want to go get a part time job.Or makes no effort to make friends to go out with he has lived with us for 2 years now and he has been out once with a friend.

Rags's picture

Being a craftsman in the Trades is a noble endeover but not a place for one with a weak or nonexistent work ethic. I employ over 100 of these very talented people who never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity and work ethic. I can assure you that as you describe him, the Tradesmen who work for me would chew him up and spit him out in short order. One thing a true craftsman/tradesman cannot abide is a whiner or a apprentice with an over inflated opinion of himself.

It sounds to me that Zippy's future is not far from living under the overpass, standing in line for his chance on the steam grate on cold nights and waiting in line once a month for his welfare check.

The fun part will be seeing his face with he finds that there is no where to plug in the Xbox to play RockBand or GuitarHero when you drop him and his crap off at the overpass! Just wait until he figures out that RockBand/Guitar Hero is not a skill that has much value on the job market. Your DH will be puzzled at Zippy's tears of woe over that epiphany.

Best regards,

Endora's picture

Was a licensed carpenter and skilled craftsman-there is no way on the planet Zippy could do that job unless his whole personality changes.

I am sure Daddy will find SS something-since Zippy is the only male grandchild, my DH's Father will back Zippy and his son in ANYTHING-between the two of them Zippy will never lack for a thing.

Going to be an interesting couple of years!

Step Parenting – you might need to step back before you step in something!

stepmasochist's picture

I love how blue collar guys have a way of making fun of the weak link until he either falls into line or drags up. They're as masterful at that as they are their trades.

I can just picture the humiliation this kid would have to endure on single day at a job site and it sort of makes me smile inside.

Endora's picture

My father was a VERY no nonsense kinda guy -not to be snooty-but I have a(very useless and basic university degree).

My father was not against education per say-however he sometimes found that some schools "educated the common sense out of people"-- I LOVED THAT LINE!

My ex is retired military(Naval)/retired (after military) civilian cop-

Police in Canada require a "university degree" if they want to be promoted past "glorified security guard"-my ex(no degree) walked a true "beat" got to know the "street characters", so did our family-and was one hell of a cop(crappy husband and father, however I digress)-they don't make them that way anymore...sigh

Zippies of this world don't have a clue...God help them if the carpet is EVER pulled out from under them....

Step Parenting – you might need to step back before you step in something!

Endora's picture

"Problem is he doesn't realize he's instilling the same kind of non work ethic in Junior"!

Why BF's/DH's don't see this very point when it comes to their children!

I can tell you, from some of the posts-I would be toast if Zippy was a girl,the babying is bad enough as it is!

Step Parenting – you might need to step back before you step in something!