First Bitchy Impressions

What is it about Doctor's offices that hire the most bitchy, unpleasant people in the world to work the front desk? I have yet to find an office that employs a friendly, helpful and personable person. This morning, I scheduled an appointment online through ZocDoc at my regular physician. Being that it is a new system, my son isn't in their computer system yet - even though he has been a patient there for years. So, since I needed to send my husband with my son this morning - I went ahead and scheduled his appointment through my name and typed in the "information" box that it was an appointment for my son. Simple, right?

Not so much. The succubus that works the front desk decided to give me a call to "let me know how it works". Hmmm, okay. She immediately starts in with an attitude. Is this appointment for YOU? I said, "No, unfortunately Jack hasn't needed to be seen since you all moved to the digital system, so it wouldn't let me schedule an appointment with him online. But since he's been a patient for YEARS - I knew it wouldn't be a huge deal. They are in your waiting room right now to get all his paperwork filled out."

WELL-HELL-HELL. She didn't like that very much. "Miss Reece. I am TRYING to EXPLAIN to you how the system works. You are NOT guaranteed an appointment. We are a walk-in facility and just because you made an appointment ONLINE - you are NOT guaranteed a certain time!" I calmly replied, "OH! So you are saying my husband is there throwing a tantrum demanding that he been seen at 8:45?" Her response, "NO. I'm just explaining to you how this works!" I said, "Well, considering I make my dental appointments online, my hair appointments online, my yearly pap smears online and the occasional pizza delivery too, I'm pretty sure I understand how it works. So unless my scheduling an APPOINTMENT on YOUR APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING PROGRAM on YOUR WEBSITE - WHICH BY THE WAY SAYS YOUR OFFICE GUARANTEES AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE TIME SCHEDULED - YOU might want to TAKE THAT UP with ZOCDOC instead of calling me and bitching me out for no apparent need. If there is no PROBLEM, then HAVE A NICE DAY."

Stop that Blasted Coddling!

If your child is over the age of 5, they can get themselves a drink from the kitchen and a snack from the pantry. Sure, they might make some spills and leave some crumbs, but they can do it. And guess what? They can clean up a spill and sweep up the crumbs too. I've seen parents of 16 year olds get up and go prepare their whining teenager a soda or perhaps a bowl of cereal, and it absolutely makes me want to puke. For the love of Pete, WHY do some parents insist on coddling their children? Does this bother anybody else but me?

I have to wonder why any parent would do this. It isn't showing an extreme love for your child and you won't win any awards. You are doing your child a disservice by creating a sense of entitlement and an inability to take care of themselves. I've known teenage girls that have gone off to college without the ability to wash a load of clothes or boil water for pasta. Does this coddling parent have some sort of guilt? Or is it simply a stereotypical holdover from the idea of smothering mothering from the 50's? I simply don't understand it, and it frustrates me. What I also find obnoxious is that many of these kids with mothers that practically hold their penises when they pee, are some of the rudest kids you'll ever meet. They are demanding, whiny, childish and unpleasant to be around. They are inconsiderate to not only their parents, but to all adults, disrespectful of property and seem to act as if the whole world owes them whatever whims they desire. I think it comes from a direct disgust at their parent for being coddled. A parent who does everything for their child is saying to them, "You are not capable of doing things for yourself." And who likes to feel that way? Of course these kids will be angry. Of course they will be frustrated. Of course they will enter into a world full of false expectations and have to learn on their own the basic skills for living, which should have been taught to them all along...

Fix it Yourself!

I come from a long line of women that "fix it ourselves". My grandmother, my mother and I all have an uncanny ability to work a power saw, mow a lawn and lay tile as well as any man can. What is it that makes some women able to manage just about every aspect of their lives while others seem to barely be able to pick out a paint sample? Is it a learned behavior to be meek & mild or rugged & wild? Is there something in our DNA that makes it so? I have a sister that can barely plug in a television without asking for help. We share the same genetics, so why is it that I can fix problems and she can't? I have always found women that like to play the "helpless female" role to be weak and childish - and most often incredibly stupid. Why would you want to portray to the world this image? I personally find it incredibly satisfying to have the intelligence to pick up a manual, read it and follow the directions. It is incredibly satisfying to research online how to solve a problem you are having - no matter if it's a refrigerator that is making a humming sound or how to safely thaw a pool pump that has frozen in the winter. Am I just weird that way? Do I have more testosterone than I should? Of course, the idea that hormone levels would affect your ability to repair things is preposterous. I know plenty of men who can barely change a lightbulb, so that is obviously not the case. Now, of course there are some projects that I would prefer not to be able to manage on my own. I would love to never have to push another lawn mower ever again. Repairing toilets will never be high on my list of tasks I can say I am thrilled to be capable of doing. But, guess what? I CAN. Pun intended.