"special time"

i hate that phrase.

mom and dad use it here for whenever they spend time with any of the kids. this makes it seem like it's a huge deal and when the "special time" ends, there is a meltdown by whatever kids are involved.

why give it a title? why can't you just "spend time" with your kids? you're their parents. it's what you are SUPPOSED to do anyway. and if you feel that you have to label it as special, then perhaps you need to rethink your interactions with your children. if they go ape shit every time you spend time with them and melt down when you are "done" then maybe, just maybe the amount of time and the quality of that time you spend with them that i don't see isn't up to par.

i feel like if these kids were well adjusted and had fairly normal interaction with their parents, they wouldn't meltdown like they do. they wouldn't be as clingy. the 4 year old wouldn't be in tears when it comes for mom or dad to go to work after having "special time". she fully expects them to miss work for her if she throws enough of a tantrum. and what's even worse? if she worked it just a little bit more, i think they would.

to top it all off, when they do have this "special time" it is usually a big to-do that isn't well organized. they have to go have some grand adventure or squeeze some feat thought up on a whim into an undoable amount of time. ok, if you want to have some special times, plan them. otherwise, it's just called BEING A FAMILY. and if you want to do something momentous, then provide ample time, energy and resources.

at least when i hear the phrase used, i have a bit of time to gear up towards wrangling all the crying children in when the meltdown occurs.