I find parenting quite hard at the moment. As we approach September and all of the changes it will bring us and also feeling rather wiped out after a difficult year of not being on top form, we are also faced with both Ethan and Megs being very much in the “asserting their independence” stage of life. Now they are either best friends and defending and plotting or wrestling, fighting and screaming at one another with full on physical scraps. Whether its between themselves or with us, it seems most days become a battle of wills. I feel they consistently ignore warnings, advice and requests from me (or Daddy) and then it seems they often will quickly get into a troublesome situation. This weekend a trip to Ikea to grab 2 things (picture shelves) ended in a trip to A&E (again) as they played “Tag” and Megs decided to sneak up on E and rugby tackle him to the floor…we’d only said to them like 10 times “STOP, running about and being silly”!!!
I find myself on a regular basis feeling like I’m either yelling or tearing my hair out and at my wits end on what to do with them both?! (Please post any suggestions below!). I used to look forward to bedtime but the light nights have ruined the bedtime routine we had established and so each night we are constantly tackling, battling and up and down the stairs to get them to sleep so we can snatch a few hours to ourselves. Instead I am just grateful and look forward to the times they are content and my world experiences some brief moments of peace in the day.
I have however found (as I did last summer) that going out for a whole day and doing lots of physical things in the sun is sure to tire them to the point that they are falling asleep over dinner, and on these days we high five each other that we will be at last spending the evening
with our feet up catching up on things around the house! It gives us a sense of Victory and that we won the match point on that one! We have recently got into “Suits” on Netflix and it has become our nightly tradition to watch an episode together before bed. We rarely watch anything else these days unless its a Dvd on date night but this is something we have both got into and look forward to when the kids are FINALLY in bed! Its like a big sigh of relief and I’m amazed at how much we are both so into it!
These repeated weeks of battling with the kids in various areas of life quickly becomes tiring and come Saturday all I want to to do is sleep in, take it easy and not have to think about stuff. Instead I get up and leg it out the door by 8.45 to take Megs to ballet…after expressing much interest we signed her up for a local class about a month ago and she adores it and I actually really look forward to this hour with Megs on her own, no battles or fights just absolute cuteness and joy that she gets to do her own thing. Though its a little earlier than I would hope I love that we have the time to chat together and that I have time outside the class to sit and read or catch up on emails and generally do nothing. I love to be the one to meet her as she runs out beaming and I love to walk home with her hand in hand and chat about what she did and how much she loves it. I often look and think about how very independent she is (they both are) and whilst this drives me round the bend most days, it also makes me happy to be able to give her these opportunities to do and try something she loves, just like her brother with his Street dance.
Is this just me or is it an Ordinary part of life for you too?
I am completely with you about ‘Suits’, I stumbled across it but I am completely addicted now!
Your children look so happy, and you and your husband seem to be doing a great job with them.
Thankyou Sarah – that is such a lovely thing to say! AHHHH how good is it? haha I love programmes like that and I love how witty it is x
Oh no my two can be like this at times. One minute they are best friends then the next time they are telling tales on each other! Hope it settles down soon.
Thanks – same for you! Oh for some peace haha x
She looks gorgeous in her ballet uniform. And ouch that’s a shiner on his forehead. I know the feeling though, mine are lovely to each other 80% of the time but the other 20% they just scrap, squabble and wind each other up constantly! It can be so tiring. x
Aww thanks, I love to see her wearing it haha Oh man, so glad im not the only one worn out with squabbles and general not listening! x
PHEW – its great to know your not alone with these battles, It obviously doesn’t change anything but it still makes me feel like im not doing a naff job haha. The hardest part is feeling like you just don’t get a break from them…do you find that? Like its all go all day and then when you’d hope to have a little “me” time they eat into that too haha What dance do yours do?Xx
My two can be like this and have been to A&E twice with my eldest, scary as you worry now about things like social services but important to make sure they are safe X
I deffs worry about them getting involved haha I’m like ahhhh why are my kids so active and so accident prone lol your right though, always best to get it checked! What have your kids done? x