By Tracy DeBlois of Orange & Silver

The children of Redmond, WA resident Patsy Burton report that she’s driving them bat shit trying to get them to see the bright side in every situation.

According to daughter Allie, 14, any time one of the three children complains about something, their mother has to point out the bright side. “I said I’d burned the roof of my mouth completely off eating hot soup,” she said, “and Mom just said, ‘Well, on the bright side, you know you won’t get food poisoning from it.’ Seriously, what kind of bullshit response is that?”

Burton’s 16-year-old son Matthew confirms the annoying behavior. “This just started a couple of weeks ago, but it’s really starting to bug me. I don’t know—is this, like, menopause?”

“I just think we’re all so negative sometimes,” Burton replied when questioned about the practice. “If we focus on the bright side, won’t we be so much happier?” Burton’s children are reported to have rolled their eyes at this comment.

At press time, Burton had just urged her youngest daughter Katie to look on the bright side of not being invited to a classmate’s birthday party by telling her staying home that night meant she would get to see the season premiere of “Liv & Maddie.”

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About the Author

Tracy DeBlois has a husband, four children, a dog, and a full time job. Her work has appeared on In The Powder Room, the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop website, Ten to Twenty Parenting, and Babble, and she is a contributor to “I Still Just Want to Pee Alone,” an anthology edited by New York Times Best Selling author Jen Mann. She blogs at Orange & Silver, providing a humorous glimpse into the never-settling snow globe that is her mind. Her days are spent answering questions about the location of her children’s belongings, figuring out what’s for dinner, and reminding everyone that socks without feet in them do not belong in the living room. She can be found at Orange & Silver, and on Facebook. Find her on Twitter as @qwertygirl.