How does it happen? Why does it happen? Where does the rational thought go? It's complete insanity for about 10 minutes and then it's done. Here's my breakdown of a Matthew tantrum from this week:
- I will put the Thomas tent up if you clean up the basement...we need an open space.
- Okay, I do that.
- Five minutes later, I hear them cleaning up and a small disagreement. I go downstairs to supervise (the one time I make a vow NOT to help them clean up...after all, I could give a shit less if the Thomas tent goes up).
- Mom, where da fire station? I need ta put my tuck in der.
- Over there...you guys have to pick up the big legos too.
- Matt, you pick up the yellow and green one and Hailey, you pick up the red and blue ones.
- Good job.
- Keep going...you're almost done...I'll do the other colors (vow forgotten).
- Okay, move your Alfie and Jack out of the way so I can set the tent up. I'm really proud of you guys for cleaning up like that!
- Watch out...stand back...here we go!
- YAAAAYYYYYY!!!
- I watch them with the tent for a little while...of course, each Crazy is using a different entry which means that there will be a collision, but I like to watch these things play out. I don't step in too often.
- Ow! Mom, my neck! Hailey broke my neck with her head.
- Blank look.
- Let me see...I don't see anything. I'm sure you're fine. Go ahead and play and I'm going to tie up the flap for this door so you can see when someone else is going in.
- NOOOOOO!!!!
- I NEED THIS UNTIED!
- No, just leave it like that.
- Starts to shake tent...Hailey is inside (of course).
- Take one.
- Still shaking and giving me his dirty look.
- Take two.
- Still shaking and really trying to collapse the damn thing on Hailey.
- Take three...get into time out.
- NOOOOOO!!!! I NO GO TIME OUT! I NO GO!
- Fine, then I'll put you in time out.
- NOOOOO!!!! I DO TIME OUT UPSTAIRS (and promptly tries to climb the stairs)
- Grab Matt and put him on the landing (typical time out spot...he's been trying to choose his own time out spot lately and it's sending me over the edge).
- Copy and paste the last bullet about 12 times...then he tried to bite my foot, but gets a mouthful of slipper. I think this is funny, but a little disturbing at the same time. Who DOES that?
- Matt starts screaming at Hailey for playing while he's in time out - "I NOT READY FOR FIRE TRUCK! DO NOT DANCE!!! GET OUT OF TENT!!! NO HAILEY! NO HAILEY! NOOOOOO!"
- I ignore him and smile encouragingly at Hailey...poor thing is trying to be so good, but it's a little unnerving when a snotty, sobbing, crazy kid is screaming at you, I'm sure.
- Time out finally finishes. I ask him to talk to me, but he refuses to even look at me.
- This annoys me, but I am a little broken down.
- Okay, it's time for naps!
- Matt falls to his knees, throws his hands in the air, asking God why life is so cruel.
- Hailey comes over to me, puts her arms around my shoulders, and says "I want spend more time with Mommy."
- "NO HAILEY...TIME FOR NAPS!"
- Okay, Matt, then get upstairs...grab your guys (Thomas trains and two stamps that he is currently hoarding).
- NO!!!!
- Hailey, go upstairs, get your baby and wait for me. I'll be right up.
- No...wanna see my Mommy (strokes my face).
- Hailey, listen to what I'm saying and I'll be right up.
- Okay...my baby in da kitchen?
- Yes...
- Let's go Matt (walk over to pick up his "guys" in the hopes that he'll follow...whether he's screaming or not, he's going upstairs).
- GIVE ME MY GUYS!!! I NEED MY GUYS!!! MOMMY! NO! GIVE ME MY GUYS!!!!
- We both start up the stairs, but at one point, he slaps my leg and loses his balance almost falling down the stairs.
- This pisses me off...and scares me.
- I'm starting to lose my temper...and my knee hurts.
Tune in tomorrow to see how this ends...I can honestly say the day was great before all this nonsense and it will probably be great after naps. This was just a rough period...we all have them.
12 comments:
omg...Sarah = Tantrum lately. I have a picture post of one of her recent tantrums ready for tomorrow!! (yup - that's what I said..picture post. While my daughter rolled around on the floor, in front of others, I took pictures. *Mother of the Year, I am!*
We had a doozy yesterday b/c she wanted to wear shoes instead of boots and refused to put them on. Or her coat. Or her backpack. I finally made her walk to the van, sans boots (I did take them with us) and left her backpack behind. She screamed the whole way to school "I NEED my backpack! I HAVE to have my backpack for school! I can't go to school w/o my backpack!"
Thank god the drive to school is only about 5 or so minutes!
SO...how's your toe? glad for slippers ,huH?
OMW - you do know you're scaring me, right?!
I love your Tough Mother act :)
Don't you want to sell them on Ebay sometimes??? I do!
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner
www.mawhats4dinner.com
Heck yeah we do.
Tantrums are the worst, are they not? Emma has been sick and eventhough she is 5, she had a melt down and wow! I was so over it!
Isn't it interesting that, while one child is testing your ability to parent, the other is supporting you? That will probably turn around with the next tantrum, but at least both children aren't tantrumming at the same time, completely driving you over the edge!
Seriously. This is SO familiar it hurts my head.
I loathe a good tantrum.
That will be all.
we had a good ol' tantrum over picking up cheerios. oy.
Don't you love when they are getting in trouble or don't want to do something, so they try to get out of it by being sweet angels! Luke always says " I sorry mommy" and proceeds to try and kiss me! Molly is more like Hailey with the touchy, sweet voice approach! When does the tantrums stop?!?! I have feeling we have a good 15 more years at least! Can't wait for part II.
He tried to bite your FOOT???!!! That is funny, but I agree - you have to ask yourself, how in the world does a kid think of something like that??? That's evidence of evolution if you ask me...and the throwback to a more primal age. :)
I don't think our girls have tried to hit or bite me in anger (yet), but it almost sends me over the egde when they hit and slap. They have only done it a handful of times, and I honestly think they were just gauging my reaction, but - if it were anyone other than my sweet angels - them would be fighting words (/actions)! Gah!!!
When I'm really wanting to get back at a tantrum I scream louder than them and they look at me in complete shock.
My hardest thing is definitely keeping the others away from whomever is in timeout. Doesn't help that they tease each other, "You're a bad boy/girl. You in TIME OUT! BAD!"
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