Ugh, I really don't know what is wrong with me. I had a great time hanging out with just Katelyn this morning at the Princess Play in Shippensburg and then lunch at McDonalds, Mom was here with me until 6:00, Chloe drank from a bottle for the first time with no problems at all, and yet, I'm still frustrated/annoyed/burned out. It's all the little stuff getting me down. I'm constantly having to change mine and Chloe's clothes b/c she spits up like a zillion times a day. It doesn't matter what I do. And I feel bad for her b/c it can't be a good feeling having all that milk come up. And Katelyn...what do I say about Katelyn? The screaming, roaring, yelling, running, bossing, defying, teasing....I'm ready to pull my hair out by 8:00 every night.
I love that Dorothy and my mom are so willing to help out and watch Katelyn when I need them, but being away from her doesn't solve the issues that I'm having with her. I should know what to do and how to fix all this...I have a degree for crying out loud and work with kids who have behavioral problems. Why can't I figure out what to do with my own kid? It's so easy to tell others what they need to do, but so hard when you're in the midst of things.
It's a lot easier than you think. Nothing is wrong with you or your beautiful daughters! I know the day-to-day grind is frustrating, and it seems so much worse when you're in the middle of it. Here's some important things to remember.
ReplyDelete1. If it won't matter in 10 years, it probably doesn't matter now: Chloe will outgrow the spitting up. She always seems to have a smile on her face, so she won't be traumatized.
2. The true test of a child's behavior is what they do when you are not watching. You told me that her parent-teacher conference went well. You would have heard if there were any real behavior problems. Yes, Katelyn is a handful, no question about it, but her behavior is age appropriate. She's also extremely bright! Maybe gifted. It's a challenge to keep up with her imagination. You're doing a great job encouraging her natural talents and abilities.
3. Perhaps what you need is some time to nurture yourself. You should find a way to take a little time every day to recharge the batteries. When my kids were young, I started waking up early enough to spend some time alone over a cup of coffee before the morning madness. It doesn't matter when you do it, but just consciously taking 20-30 minutes everyday to do something for yourself can go a long way toward avoiding the burnout.
Ok, I'm now stepping off the soapbox. By the way, did I ever tell you I used to facilitate a parent support group?