Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

On my first visit home, after joining the military, I was with my dad and siblings. Mom called us, and she made first my sister, then my brother cry. I gave her an earful for it; she's the grown up, it doesn't matter if they did something to deserve it. And I told her: "You made my sister and brother cry. By all rights I shouldn't hang up until I've brought you to tears twice, but I don't care about what you owe me. I care about making sure it doesn't happen again." Or something to that affect.

My point is, it was the first time I stood up to my mother effectively. I may joke about how the US Armed Forces are stupid bureaucracies that survive primarily on momentum, but Basic Military Training is a great place to grow a backbone, if you're already used to a bit of yelling. The hardest part for me was not laughing when getting called out on a flaw (and exercise). One flaw pointed out to me, was that since I always looked poutty when yelled at (excellent for supressing giggles), was that I was going to be made to cry out loud by a TI. IRONY!

Nowadays I help my mom clean her apartment and dishes every week. None of the kids live there full time, but we all visit. I think it's better that way, she doesn't feel she has to keep us. I mean, she doesn't stress about us so that's one less reason to yell.