This week I did a four-hour conflict management course at work (these things are entirely necessary when you work for a large corporate). I started the course thinking that I shied away from conflict, retreating due to my pathological need to please and be liked. That plus my enbarrassing tendency to bawl my eyes out when someone raises their voice at me. But, by the end of the course I realised that I experience "conflict" on an almost daily basis, but I manage it so well that it doesn't feel like conflict. Snaps for me. Here's what else I learnt this week...
1. It is indeed possible to instinctively dislike a child and want to be a little bit mean to them. You will feel bad about yourself, but not as bad as you feel about said child.
1. It is indeed possible to instinctively dislike a child and want to be a little bit mean to them. You will feel bad about yourself, but not as bad as you feel about said child.2. Sometimes having a night out on a "school night" is the best thing for you even though it's the last thing you feel like doing.
3. There's a tutorial to step you through the lovely summer ruffles skirt pictured here over at Grand Revival Designs. It's such a detailed tutorial that I actually think I can manage. Now, if I could just figure out how to bring my sewing machine back to life (too many Monster Softies, it seems)...
4. I can indeed limp through the day without diet coke.
5. It's claimed that the Brazilian wax was named for a letter written by Pedro Álvares Cabral on seeing a native Brazilian tribe during his voyage to Brazil in 1500 AD. He said "their private parts were so exposed, so healthy and so hairless, that looking upon them we felt no shame." I am curious as to his knowledge of the 'health' of the 'exposed' private parts he 'looked upon'... Regardless, Brazilian waxes are still waaaay too painful, unnecessary and, gasp, itchy for this gal to make them a regular thing.
6. Orchids are notoriously difficult to grow. I didn't know this because there are three stunning examples of orchids overgrowing in pots in my garden and I've never done a thing to them in almost 3 years.
8. Etaoin Shrdlu, pronounced "eh-tay-oh-in shird-loo" is believed to be the twelve most common letters in English, in order of most frequently used to least frequently used. I'm not sure why we need to know this.
9. If your child is scared before sleep or during the night, it's comforting for them to know that you'll be popping in to "check" on them. But rather than tell them "Don't worry, I'll come and check on you in five minutes" (instantly setting the spark of "you said there was nothing to worry about so why do you need to check to make sure I'm okay?" in their little heads) tell them "I'll come in every now and then just to remind you that there's nothing to worry about." This has worked really well with the Tsunamis.
10. In all things, to thine own self be true.
What did you learn this week?