Family Night

  Sometime in 2010, we started having "Family Night" at our house.  This was one night a week when everyone was required to be home; no friends' houses, no working late, no friends coming over.  It was just us.  We put our phones away, ate dinner together and did something as a family - watched a movie, played a game, went bowling, went swimming, whatever.  This was our one night a week to do something without interruption.

  One day in 2010, The Ex asked if she could pick the kids up a day early.  Husband told her no, because it was Family Night.  The Ex said, "Why wasn't I invited?"  Husband told her it was not a school event; it was something that we did as a family once a week.  Husband said if she wanted, she could get the kids Friday morning. "Oh...I can't." (If you're so busy Friday morning, then why did you want the kids on Thursday night?)

  Shortly after this, The Ex made a habit of calling to talk to the kids only on Family Night.  She did not call the night before and she did not call the night after; she always called on Family Night.  Because we didn't answer, she'd get angry and leave messages relaying that.  One night, she called and left three voicemails about how she needed the kids' Social Security numbers and was trying to plan Christmas.  Another night, she called ten times and left four voicemails.

  The kids love Family Night.  Their friends will ask if they can come over; the kids say no, it's Family Night.  The Ex has frequently complained to them that she tried calling them and they tell her flat-out, "It was Family Night.  We didn't have any phones."  The Ex does not accept this; she tells the kids that they should just call her back "quick" and say they can't talk. (Nothing is ever "quick" when she talks to them.  We told her once that Daughter needed to get to bed; The Ex spent fifteen minutes talking about absolutely nothing)

  This is the one and only night during the week that we do not answer our phones.  The Ex is fully aware that we're "unavailable" on Family Night, yet insists on calling repeatedly and leaving irritated voicemails.  I just can't wrap my head around this - she knows we can't be reached, she tries reaching us anyway and then gets mad at us when she can't reach us.

  How's that old cliche go again?  "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results"....or something.

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