I don’t know what it is about Buddy that sets the boys off. He’s trying his hardest, has been consistent for a couple of years, and keeps improving but no matter what the mood is on his days with the boys they get uptight, angry, moody and difficult. Not all of them at once, and sometimes one steers clear the whole time, but as a rule, they lose it. Today Tio got out of control with his anger and got sarcastic, insulting and uncooperative until he finally smacked Kit across the face. Doc whines and pouts over nothing and Kit, while good today, winds his dad up with backtalk and insults.
Buddy doesn’t take it anymore, either, so it’s not like they do it because it’s a free for all. They have a deep rooted resentment and anger towards him that surfaces whenever they get a chance. I know some of it is deserved. After all, they’ve had some rough times in the past that Buddy shares responsibility for. But it’s more than that, deeper. After all was said and done, they went out this afternoon in fairly good spirit and came home in good moods, too.
I suppose I may never understand it, just have to deal with it and around it until they work it out.