Welcome to Gaia! ::

Oh, I was around them every week, back when I was Christian. And I
babysat 3 boys with Asperger's syndrome. Which is not easy by any
means.
I just didn't like kids. I didn't hate them, I just didn't like them. I felt I did
them wrong by pretending to understand them (I have a speech impediment,
so I know how frustrating it is to not be understood and people pretending
to know what you said).
I think part of it was this idea that women must grow up, get married and
be mothers. That that was the extent of who I could be, so I grew to resent
it. Plus I was emotionally abused as a child by my parents, so there is that.
I think that is one of the reasons my niece likes me so much. I explain things
to her. I don't just say "because", I explain things. I explain the why. I tell
her of our side of the family, extended and not. She lives in a narrow world.
Her mother is the least narrow minded of the people she is around, but there
are some things she won't talk to her about. Somehow I became the person
that she can ask things. People assume kids don't see things, and therefore
do not need to know things. Kids are bloody sponges and they notice everything.
Did I know that our family was messed up, even when I was 4? Yes, I did.
Part of the reason I have had depression my entire life, with all the things that
happened, all the things I saw with my parents and others, but nobody would
tell me what was going on. I just knew something was, and it was something
bad and it caused everyone harm. To assume children incapable of understanding
is limiting their capabilities. Will I explain what things are in detail? Not everything.
She is only 7, after all. But can I simplify it for her? Yes. Sorry, a minor rant.

I'm always adding things rofl It'll never die! lol

NYC is noisy, crowded, dirty and you cannot do that much because everything is
so bloody expensive. I'd rather take the time and money to go to Fire Island or
somewhere else on LI than go to the city. The only thing I liked about NYC was
the park (I ice skated there) and the Cathedrals. There was a pizza place we would
stop by, but it was so greasy. Tasted good, but Gods, the river of grease.....

Wasn't our place, it was the place my sister-in-law grew up. People were: = - =;;
We used to be Mormon, my brother and his family still is. However, there is so
much that I disagree with that I could never be a part of that religion again. I cannot
really be a part of many religions, which is how I ended up Pagan.

I was confused how someone that raised 4 kids could not stop a baby from screaming
for... ten minutes? I had a migraine, and I was just DONE. I went out of my room, took
Kirana, and went back into my room. She fell asleep easily, but moving her was hard.
She would fuss every time I picked her up to move her. So I laid her on my pillow so
that way, when she fell asleep again, she could be moved without being disturbed.
Worked like a charm lol

As for Winter, I'll call her out on her crap, punish her if need be, but I'll explain why.
I will not let her back out of promises or push me around. She is incredibly strong willed
and bull headed, like everyone else in the family, and knows how to be manipulative.
Well welcome to the family little queen, I'm the ruler of manipulation. Learned it from both
me parents, and learned to use it against them if need be just to survive. Try to pull that
crap with me, and you'll land on the side of Aunt Lu isn't speaking with you until you
apologize for trying to control me. Usually to buy her things or the like. Guess what, not
working. She also values home cooked meals because she rarely gets them unless I'm
visiting or she is visiting us. While we lived with them, every day I would clean, do dishes
and cook food. Tuna casserole, baked breaded chicken, frito pie, and so on. She learned
that she had to eat the veggies first, and found that she likes a lot of vegetables. Not
lima beans or most parts of salad, but if it's on her plate, she must eat it. She also learned
sometimes fruit is in the place of vegetables, but the same rules apply. If you do not finish
the cantaloupe, you may not have more casserole nor dessert.
That no, you may not grab my mouse and use my computer without my express permission.
Ever. Not only is it my private property, but there are things on the internet and my computer
not child appropriate to their lifestyle. Such as drawing references of human anatomy.
That no, you may not rummage through somebody's room unless you would like them to
do the same to yours.
Animals deserve respect. Yes, you may tease them, but not overly so or they will not
trust nor like you.
So on, and so on. I make no claim to perfection, and will expect no such thing of others
unless they so claim.