Wow

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted. I'm sorry.

I have hurt my knee again. And it was my own damned fault. Ugh. I left a vacuum attachment on the stairs (I think it fell off the ledge, because I'm not in the habit of leaving things on the stairs) and then I stepped on it going down the stairs. I twisted my leg to avoid putting weight on it and now my knee is back to feeling like my kneecap is going to pop off. Dammit.

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2 Situations that Are Technically None of My Business, but which Trouble Me Anyway

The 8-year-old boy I babysit pees his pants nearly every day. He was doing very well for a while there, but now he's doing it again. By "very well", I mean that he was only doing it every couple days or so. His mother has spoken to him on numerous occasions. She has taken him to the doctor. I have tried subtly suggesting a reward system by telling her all about how well the reward thing worked when we were trying to get DS to sleep in his own bed and to get DD to keep her room clean. I don't want to beat her in the head about it because she has never actually asked for advice. I am not the world's most perfect parent, but it is my belief that the first thing she should do is tell her mother to stop telling the boy that the only reason he still does it is that he's lazy. And forbid her to say that loudly in front of rooms full of people. It is my belief that this doesn't help. She should also refrain from saying that herself. He husband should also not say it.

It is my belief that this is a bad habit like nail biting or smoking or whatever and that it should be treated as such with a reward system. (Come to think on it, I *did* say that once or twice.) I have instituted one here that the mother doesn't know about. I am afraid she'll think I'm getting in her business. He gets a penny every time he goes to the bathroom and a dime if he goes the whole day without me seeing a spot on the front of his pants. I feel like a total pervert always looking at his crotch. He was doing very well for a while, but then I tried letting him go to the bathroom by himself instead of me telling him when to go. I did 2 loads of laundry on Monday because he only had one spare set of pants with him and he wet them both.

His mother took him to the doctor on Tuesday and came back with a prescription for some ADHD drug. This upsets me. But it is technically none of my business.

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One of the teachers at the school has had a bit of a rough patch lately. Some time before Christmas, he suffered a giant and very costly disappointment. I worried about him over the holidays. At some point in December, he obtained a girlfriend. He has now purchased a ring and is intending to give it to her, some time this week I think. We do not know each other very well. However, it seems like this is too short a time to decide that this is the person you want for life. Additionally, he was on quite the emotional roller coaster before. I'm afraid he's not thinking clearly.

I will be unable to say "Congratulations" or "I'm happy for you" unless I hear the magic words: "3-year engagement". I hope he doesn't show me the ring in front of other people, because I find it difficult to manage a smile under these circumstances. I wish he would stop talking to me about it. He's going to ask why I'm grimacing at him. I don't lie and there isn't any alternative. Usually, I can come up with something both positive and true to say.

Technically, this is none of my business.