parenting is fun. blankets are too.

I've decided to knit some Barbie sized bed sets. I can knit a blanket w/matching pillows. And better yet, I can make up my own patterns. I mean, knitting a rectangle = brainless.

Something's been bothering me lately. I dont quite know how to go about it.
My daughter, J, recently got grounded (for a month) for not telling me where she and her friend were going one afternoon. I figured she was around the block, and she was, but neither one of them asked, or informed me that was where they'd be. Husband drove around the block and picked them up, and grounded J for a month. No TV, no video games, no friends, no outside. This is the harshest punishment we've dished out yet. But she acted very irresponsible, and she wont forget asking next time. And she's off the hook as soon as she admits that she was wrong. But J is a stubborn Taurus child, and she rarely admits that she's wrong, and will instead try to find loopholes in our plan.

Anyway, she goes over to her dad's house, and his wife goes and tells J that she's mad at me for grounding J. Step-mom (we'll call her S) doesnt think it's fair for J. At any rate, I'm getting the feeling that S may be badmouthing me at dad's house. Which is ONE thing we NEVER do. Ever. Never badmouth the other parent in front of the child!

I dont feel that S has any right to be mad at me, since she wasnt the one who spent over ten minutes looking for J. Or doesnt even have to deal with those shennanigans very often since they only see her every other weekend or so. But I also dont know what J said to S. J was probably playing up the pity party for herself and whined and moped around all weekend until S felt so sorry for her that she got mad at me for it. She needs to start seeing through that act real fast.

We will probably be seeing S and dad at J's violin recital this Saturday, and I may have to bite my tongue. Or tell dad that he'd better make sure that if S has any problems with my parenting skills, that she should talk to me about it, and not in front of my daughter. And if I hear of slander about me from J again, S and I may have some serious problems.

Ugh. What a rant, huh?

I feel better now.

Off to go get some ideas for blankets.