Dear Anita

I usually just play with my cousin.  We have fun together, and we play away from the adults.  But sometimes if someone is mean, like my aunt – then I feel bad like my mom.  I see them beingmean.

it is confusing Anita, let’s say we are heading to my aunts house.  my mom is so happy to go, she has been cooped up in the house all week, and says how she is lonely and doesn’t get to go out like other people with a job.  so when we go to my aunts house it is so much fun, and she is happy I have company too with my cousin.  all fine.

but other times if we go there, my aunt may “taunt” us.  my dad always uses this word so i will use it to.  they taunt us by saying something such as “oh yes youre having so much fun here, isn’t it much better than that big lonely house of yours – you seem to always want to be here instead.”

this is true maybe, but sad.  then on the way home my mom is sad and mad at that.  so then she changes her mind and says ” we won’t go there anymore!!! why should i be insulted! after all we do for them (my dad always helps them with medical stuff because they don’t have much money) and then i think about how sad it is that theyre like that…

Dear Anita,

sometimes I do have to wait, but it isn’t that long (not like a whole week or anything) usually it is just a day or two. often, what I do will make her happy.  Like if I come home from school and we go to the mall.

Or if I have a friend over at the pool, then she is happy

Dear Anita,

My mom sits on the deck with us (she doesn’t swim).

She talks to my friends a lot, asks them questions – we all talk together.  Sometimes she asks them a lot of quetions, about their mom and life.  and we talk together.  it is fun.

afterwards she will talk about it all day.  like oh look at kristen, she has so muc hfun with her family.  or oh look at kristen, her mom is divorced and she doesn’t even take kristen anywhere.  or anything.

my mom gets very involved – and all of my friends love my mom because she has so much fun with us.  we all talk like we are friends – she is funny and silly with us too

Dear Anita,

My mom always says that summer vacation is too long – because kids get lonely.  In the summer I take out my little phone book, it is cute and small.  I have my friends numbers written in them.  And I start calling people to come over.  I always hope someone can play.

Sometimes they come over, but sometimes I go over there – if my mom can drive me.  Sometimes my mom says she doesn’t want a mess at home, so we should go play over there “god let their moms clean and make food for once!”

but – I do look for friends to come over, so that I am not lonely and have company.  because my mom says its good to have company

Dear Anita,

yes I am worried sometimes about this.  that in the moment we are all having fun, even my mom – but later on she will get annoyed and mad.  and say to my dad “look at these girls, they live like its a hotel here. even their friends! what do those girls mothers do?! they relax and enjoy I bet – theyre not slaves like me.”