Week of Money: Where Little Bun doesn’t handle bullying well

DAY ONE

6:10 p.m. — Little Bun had a name in a game and burst into tears because he thought they hated his name and was making fun of him. I have no idea what is going on so I tell him how people don’t like everyone

He spends 45 minutes crying while I am cursing trying to set it up on another computer to get another name for him…. only to find out that it was because he didn’t click READY on the game so no one could start but he didn’t know how to say he was new so that they would explain or help him. So they were mad at him, and calling out his name not because he was being bullied (he perceived it as such however), but because they wanted him to CLICK ON READY UP.

*pinches nose*

Being a parent is hard.

Then he tells me he saved up one of his special actions in the game to use at the perfect time and never used it. I seize the chance to teach him something, and I tell him how he is a great saver, patient, and a good investor (time to brainwash), but I tell him he also has to learn how to enjoy life and spend, and sometimes you make mistakes and that’s okay.

It’s only a game, you’ll get another chance again. And with money, it’s only money, you can make more and do better next time, to give himself grace.

He nods and runs off to play. He knows better now.

DAY TWO

6:25 a.m. — My morning drink.

8:08 p.m. — My leg falls asleep and I decide to tease Little Bun and tell him to help me put on my wool slipper socks.

Me: What if one day you will need to put socks on me? Or someone else? You have to learn how to dress other people too, in case they need help!

Little Bun: *grunting putting on the socks*

Me: Like this, get to the toe section and then scrunch it up… then put it on the toes and pull, it is much easier.

Little Bun: Ohhhh

Me: We can practice tomorrow… LOL

DAY THREE

3:16 p.m. — I go out after my meetings to drop some items off and pack a return, and upon my return…

Little Bun: *at the door, pink-faced, and upset* You didn’t tell me you were going! You didn’t say goodbye!

Me: OH! I am sorry. You were in the bedroom napping so I didn’t want to wake you, but also I didn’t know if I was going to go before I went… I printed the labels but wasn’t sure if I would go. Then I decided yes.

Little Bun: *sniffle*

Me: I am sorry *hugs* I will try and remember to tell you next time okay?

He is really into routines, and always likes to know if I will be here or not, as it’s a comfort thing. I am his Support Human Stuffie, and right now, at this age, he needs me, so I am here.

DAY FOUR

11:24 a.m. — Little Bun sticks his cold little hands under my shirt to warm them on my belly. I dramatically shriek and howl at how icy cold they are. He’s giggling so hard he can’t even keep his hands on my stomach.

He then flips them to the back and I howl again, as they are VERY cold. I ask him how he got such cold hands!

DAY FIVE

6:34 p.m. — We play a game of Clue and then this new game he invented called “LIFE”. Each player gets a deck of cards that they can use to play against each other. He wrote out a whole rulebook for it as well. If you are an FBI agent for instance and you use that card on a Stuffie who happens to be a Thief, then you get $300. If you use it on a Stuffie who happens to be an FBI agent, you lose money.

It’s kind of fun and creative!

DAY SIX

10:35 a.m. — Little Bun works on his pages, and I am struggling with trying to explain WHO and WHOM.

Who is for a SUBJECT.

Whom is for an OBJECT.

If you can say “him or her” in the sentence, it is an OBJECT and you can use WHOM.

If you can say “he or she” in the sentence, it is a SUBJECT and you can use WHO.

In the end, I tell him no one really uses the distinction. Everyone is very confused about how tricky it is. The only one I have memorized is:

To whom am I speaking to?

Otherwise, no one is going to take the time to take a sentence like: I do not know ____ I am going to choose as the leader, and then spend time thinking – Oh, it should be WHOM because I can say: I do not know if I am going to choose HER as the leader; which means I should use WHOM.

In that short amount of time talking, I am going to say WHO because it’s just easier. It isn’t correct but…. it is what it is.

DAY SEVEN

9:30 p.m. — In bed at night, Little Bun and I discuss the purpose of religion, communities and how people learn what they learn as children and grow up as adults believing it. Or not believing it because their beliefs change. I tell him we are neither for or against any religion, we are just not religious, but we can acknowledge the communal aspects of religion and its benefits but also its disadvantages.

I tell him that if you learned something as a kid from a parent or caregiver, and other adults around you, you are likely to believe it is true unless something comes along to challenge that belief. You don’t question anything if you don’t think to question it, or unless you’re deeply unhappy about the situation. But even in those cases, I explain that you may be surrounded by a situation where you cannot leave even if you wanted to. Where would you go? Whom would you go to*? How would you leave without money?

All of these are things to consider.

*I am only guessing I used “whom” correctly here.

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Want more? Read all of my previous Week of Money Diaries.