Cringe Test

Every once in a while I find it useful, if sometimes painful, to do a little testing on my family. I'll stand out of sight and call a child's name and watch for their reaction. Do they look up with an open expression and try to find out why I'm calling, or do they sink down and sigh before answering? Worst of all, do they sink down and feign deafness while pretending to be in Morocco?

Sad to say, I have a nag/fuss tendency. It seems related to how well I'm doing at being organized and self-disciplined. When I'm in a over-all good routine, it means that chores and schooling responsibilities are being accomplished, and my children know what is expected of them and when. It means they know when they have time for themselves. It means that I have the time and energy to keep up a spirit of fellowship and camaraderie with my children. Most of all it means that if I call someone- the underlying assumption is that my call might be a pleasant and welcome interruption.

When I'm in a nag/fuss cycle the assumption is that having one's name called means an interruption of one's current employment for an unspecified period of hassle. I'm pretty sure the thought process is something along the lines of, "Ughh, she's calling my name; I must evade capture."

I can always tell with my Cringe Test how well I'm doing in the family-fellowship department. When I fail the test, meaning my children cringe when called, it's time to remember to organize myself, lay off the family. Pray, prioritize. I need to pull out a deck of cards and play some games, lighten-up and enjoy my children.

Is it ethical to perform psychological testing on subjects without signed consent forms? Bah, motherhood is all about stealth, everything, from green veggies snuck into spaghetti sauce to stealth Cringe Testing.

I originally wrote this for my general blog, but I got to thinking how passing the cringe test is even more important if you are the mom and the teacher.

It Works-For-Me-Wednesday, and on other days.