It’s only Wednesday and I feel the last grip I have on my sanity fading away. Dramatic much? Um, yeah. I don’t know what the hell is in the water over here in our house because my girls are making me old this week. I’m trying to roll with it, I’m trying to not be the mom who yells and gets frustrated (but seeing as how patience isn’t my strong suit, it’s a struggle, it really is).
The Princess has picked up this tremendous attitude from who-knows-where. She lets loose with comments and snarky bits that makes me look at her and think, “Who are you? And when can I have my daughter back?” Part of it, I’m sure is her testing her limits, testing these new phrases and words she’s getting, trying to find out where she begins and we end. I hope that’s what it is. I would hate to think that she just hates me (and Hubby too – she gives him attitude when he’s home – she’s an equal opportunity grump these days).
Today as I was preparing lunch, Pumpkin took a bowl of salad (with dressing!) and dumped it on the carpet. Of course, at that moment, The Princess asked me for something. I asked her to please wait, I was working really hard. Her response: “At WHAT? Ruining my life?!”
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeouch.
Remember, y’all… she’s FIVE. I did not expect her to think I was the Wicked Witch until she turned 12. She’s sure getting a jump start on the My Mommy Sucks thing.
I am trying to notice patterns of when she tends to get moody and vocal. Usually, it happens when she’s hungry. Since I’m pretty nasty when I’m hungry too, I can’t fault her for that. I also try to make sure meals and snacks are predictably scheduled and that she doesn’t GET to that point. Obviously, I missed the boat today. Twice. This afternoon, hours after the declaration that I’m ruining her life, The Princess fully melted down over the fact that I wouldn’t let her have ice cream. Yeah, I’m horrible, I know it. Eventually, I was able to talk her out of her tree, and get her some string cheese and she chilled out.
It’s hard not to lose your cool when someone is yelling at you – even when it’s a five year old. Especially when it’s a five year old who you love tremendously with every fiber of your being and she’s chucking words of anger at you. It hurts. It really freakin’ hurts.
Those kinds of moments are definitely not the ones we dreamed of when we envisioned motherhood, but it is the reality of being a Mom, eh ?
Hugs to you.. L