It's official. I must be the worst mother on the planet.
I took the children to the park this morning. I took them to what I thought was their favorite park. I took them early so we would have lots of time to play before lunch. Sure, some of it was guilt over the hard time Ironflower had staying over at her grandparents' Saturday night. After being put to bed, she started to freak out. She wanted to go home. She kept my mother up until four am.
I felt bad, of course (though secretly relieved that my mom hadn't called us to come get her in the middle of the night). I let her sleep extra at nap time yesterday and put her to bed early last night. Hot Guy talked to her about it. I thought everything was okay.
At the park today, it was apparent that she was still tired. She flung sand with her shovel. She's done that before when she's been ticked off. I got her to stop. Lovebug, for the first time ever (and completely independent of his sister), also did some sand flinging. He had to be removed from the sandbox.
We hadn't been there for very long when Lovebug started trying to escape. The little boy who threw tantrums over leaving the park now wanted to leave. Ironflower didn't. Until a seventeenth month old knocked her almost three year old self over. The little boy didn't mean to and it's not like Ironflower hasn't been through it a thousand time with Lovebug. But today it caused hysteria.
When I gave up and decided to take them home, they both wailed all the way to the car - Ironflower because I wasn't carrying her and Lovebug because I made him hold hands in the parking lot.
The day has not gotten better. We have had more tantrums and time-outs TODAY than we have had in the past MONTH. Lunch and snack turned into battles of will. Playtime was filled with grabbing and screaming. Despite the extra nap time they have both been just awful.
I keep telling myself that they're just tired (although there's no reason for Lovebug to be). I keep telling myself that they're both very spirited. I keep telling myself that Lovebug will be really talking within the year. I keep telling myself that passion is a good quality. I keep telling myself that they must feel very secure with me to behave so atrociously with me and not other people.
But (much like my children) I am not a very good listener. I feel like the worst mother in the world. Well, except for Britney Spears.
Hot Guy (who is with them now, Thank GOD) is going out of town tomorrow. Tomorrow has got to be a better day, right? But if it's not, how bad would be to let them watch Noggin for twelve hours straight while feeding them M&M's and Cheetos? I know they wouldn't protest, whine or throw tantrums about that.
10 comments:
It WILL get better. Sometimes days like this just happen, and sometimes they don't. Not. Your. Fault.
Hang in there!
Dory, thank you so much. That's exactly what I needed to hear!
at least there is always Britney Spears! :)
hopefully it will be better tomorrow for all of you. hope you (and the kids) get that rest you need!
sorry, the previous comment was from me...didn't know I was logged in as my husband!
good luck when the hubby leaves! this always turns me into bitch-mommy. remember.. any amount of M&Ms is fine if it preserves your sanity! hang in there!
Sorry you had such a crappy day! My kids act that way right before they are getting sick...things they normally love tick them off, things they like to do aren't any fun, etc. Hopefully yours were just having a bad day and will be over it tomorrow!
Kids have days like that sometimes. Now and then, Julia becomes some creature I barely recognize. It'll get better. In the meantime, maybe you deserve some M&M's. Chocolate always makes me feel better!
Look at it like this Jen. They are getting all of their baddassness out of the way in the first 5 years. When they are teens while other kids are forgeing notes for school, smoking weed behind the bleachers in the gym and sneaking out of the house, your little angels will be at home with you and the hubby asking toset the table and clean out the garage.
Your just getting an early concetration of tantrum. You will thank them later.
(wow keeping your mom up until 4am? They are braver souls than I....)
Greg - I hope you're right!
Kids have days like that sometimes. Now and then, Julia becomes some creature I barely recognize. It'll get better. In the meantime, maybe you deserve some M&M's. Chocolate always makes me feel better!
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