The day started normally. The plan was for Carrie, Shane, Nana, Pop, and I to meet Kathleen and Cru at the Children's museum in Greenville.
When I asked Shane to drive with Carrie and I instead of Nana and Pop, he threw a fit. I had to block him from running out the door. Carrie demanded an apology and when Shane wouldn't give it she ended up upset, as well.
Ironically, I'd seen the possibility of all this in advance. Not that it changed anything. I told Shane the night before that Carrie and I wanted him to drive with us. "You've gone all over with Nana and we miss you!" I said. He agreed and I hoped it prepped him.
It didn't.
What happened was Nana and Pop left, Carrie sat in one room, and Shane ran off to sulk and refuse to apologize in another. He decided to hole up next to the laptop.
I tried to talk Shane through some of it, give process time, and eventually Nana called to say, "Where are you guys?"
Shane eventually processed things and realized he needed to say he was sorry. By then, the window to go to the Children's museum had slammed shut.
A work situation emerged for Carrie, so Shane and I went on a little adventure to give us time to talk and her time to de-escalate. I'm hoping this becomes one of those not-fun-but-necessary empathy building lessons for my son.
The library wasn't open, but I found a grocery store with a built in brewery. That was new.
Shane, ever effusive, went on and on about how he loved the store because of the Wild West decorations.
Things had returned to normal when we got home. Nana and Pop returned, Carrie and I discovered Maple Street Biscuit company for lunch, and there was a gingerbread house decorating event.
I like the gingerbread better than any of the decorations.
Carrie resisted at first, but when she got involved she elevated our game-play as usual.
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