To Detroit and Back

Spent last week north of Detroit for a mandatory training class.  Stayed in a small suite across the street from a mall and just about every chain restaurant that can be named.  I hated every moment of it, being away from the kids for five days like that.  I left Sunday afternoon, with Megan on her bike at the street corner crying as I drove away.  But the days passed fairly quickly and the class itself wasn't too terrible.  And the kids were happy to see me, especially since I brought presents with me.

Been on a Todd Rundgren kick here lately, listening to his 70s hits.  Haven't read a single book in months, probably not since A Dance with Dragons came out in July.  I have, however, been getting my money's worth out of Netflix, mostly due to old TV shows.  My indefatigable LOTRO addiction was renewed last week with the release of the first new expansion in almost two years, an update that raises the level cap to 75 and introduces hours of new content.

Had a bad evening tonight with Megan.  She decided to conduct a major meltdown over her old PowerWheels car she's now too tall to drive.  She's basically mad that Ian is driving it, regarding it as her property regardless of the fact she can no longer enjoy its use.  I honestly don't know what to do with her at times.  I hear a lot of other parents suggest to ignore the yelling, but I'm not wired that way.  And I don't think allowing a child to behave that way will just self-correct over time; I think parents are just being lazy, failing to set expectations and boundaries, and simply taking the easier road in regards to parenting.  I just wish they came with manuals.