Y'know, I thought my mom and I were really doing better. But after a week or two of not seeing her, and being free of all the guilit and constant criticism, I did a less than stellar job of reacting to her today. Our usual pattern repeated itself, and I excused myself from her house. The pattern usually goes something like this:
1. Mom asks Jason for help with computer or cell phone (tonight, the latter)
2. Jason refuses, because he knows that either:
a. it will take all night, or
b. it will lead to an argument.
3. Mom guilt-trips Jason into it (You help all those strangers with their computers, but you can't help me?)
4. Jason reluctantly agrees, and begins trying to show Mom how to do whatever it is she wants to learn to do.
5. Mom either:
a. gets confused,
b. gets frustrated,
c. decides she knows better than Jason what she's doing, or usually
d. all of the above.
6. Jason then repeats his instructions, usually less cordially than the first time.
7. Mom becomes agitated, rude, and/or insulting, threatening not to let Jason come to Mexico with her if he "treats me this way when we're there."
8. Jason leaves, usually calling afterwards to leave Mom a message about how childish she's being.
9. Neither Mom nor Jason ever learns.
The apparent solution: I refuse to help my mother with technology anymore, at all, unless she's willing to shut her mouth and let me explain everything before she asks so much as a single question. It's for both of our own good.
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