Lately attempts to "raise" Katelynn are just.... hard. I put "raise" in quotations because sometimes I just feel I am managing a wild animal. A smart wild animal. The tantrums have reached new proportions. At least before, I could often anticipate the tantrum - making her leave the park, taking away the pacifier, etc. Lately there is zero rationale. She asks for yogurt then throws a fit when you give it to her because "she didn't want yogurt." She hurls her cup across the room because there is a miniscule amount of sticker residue on the bottom. (That one happened to Nanna.) She throws her Easter candy across the room because it is the wrong color.
She has mastered the public floor throw-down, or intensive foot stamping if she decides to remain upright. She is immediately loud and obnoxious. She has also learned to use both verbal and non-verbal manipulation skills and tries to play her parents off one another. Tonight she told daddy to "go to work." Shortly thereafter she went to hold his hand because she knew that mommy wanted to hold her hand. Of course, she is a perfect angel at preschool and Sunday School. I am glad for her teachers and for the break those days give me... I'm sure they would return her to me immediately if she acted the same way there!
I have tried all the time-honored disciplinary techniques... I consider myself to be a pretty strict mommy for the most part. The techniques aren't working....
Being around her lately is hard on the soul. Sunday my parents were over for Easter, and KK began to chatter about "going to Nanna's." Before I even let Nanna check her calendar I was enthusiastically telling KK she could go! She had made my Easter morning so darn miserable up until the arrival of guests. So, she went home with Nanna and PopPop on Easter night, and Monday I got a mental health break. And that definitely helped.
In the meantime, I pray this is a stage and that this ugliness will soon subside, at least a little. And I will put one foot in front of the other, reminding myself that being her mommy is my most important job ever, even if the most difficult. Every job - especially this job - has its bad weeks!
Little KK may find herself an only child if she keeps this up! Hugs for you. Parenting IS a really tough job. I've often heard that if you can persevere through these tough days that it is easier as they get older. If you let it slide, it'll come back and bite you even worse later. More hugs! You are doing great! And a couple of book recommendations - Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp and Don't Make Me Count To Three by Ginger Plowman.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya! It seems like there are many phases to this whole parenting thing! One minute I'm sharing a Gavin story about how he's totally cracking me up and the next minute I am so embarrassed by his bratty behavior! Lately Gavin has been showing such a temper! It's crazy! My mother-in-law was just telling me about how she felt some days all she did was discipline, but then things got better. :) It does seem like both KK and Gavin are pretty strong willed children! I plan on getting the books that "Blue Skies" recommended! :) Please tell her thank you for me!
ReplyDeleteI’ve learned many lessons – and I’m sure I’ll learn even more as time goes on. But – the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far I (and I’m continually being reminded of), is that I cannot control things as much as I once thought I could.
ReplyDeleteI know it's hard! Keep going girl! Just keep praying about her and doing your best. I think parenting is getting harder for me too. Love you and praying for you!
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