Your blog post ideas are always great. You often have better ideas than me, so I really appreciate your input! You asked me recently how I deal with the difficult days. The days when milestones are not the only thing that matters. Let’s get into it.
First of all, I’d like to make it clear that my blog is not sugar coated. I am a person who is naturally positive, and tends to focus on the good things in situations and people. There is still 10% of me who is rolling her eye at the cheerful girl, because, let’s face it, bad days do happen.
Some mornings are too early, and naptimes are disrupted by a 6 month-old who decides to ignore her schedule. Some three-year-olds (who will remain anonymous) have full blown meltdowns because they forgot to change their night time ring into their morning ring. (apparently, jewelry is specific to the time it’s worn). The husbands will call in the middle of the day to say that they should be home at 9:00… if lucky. The project coordinator calls to tell you that it will probably only be a few days left on a job that was supposed to take 4 weeks but is now taking 3 months. It’s a strange thing when the house is filled with more toys than there is floor space.
Also known as Yesterday.
If things get tough, I sometimes feel tempted to throw a tantrum myself, mock the person responsible, open a bottle of 1pm wine or call David and ask him if he knows how much work I put in on a daily bases. But none of these solutions offer any real solution (minus the wine …). Instead, I take in a deep breathe and think through some realistic solutions:
1. Take a break. I have been known to take a time out. This not only confuses Hailey but also gives me time to calm down and collect myself. If I tell Hailey that “mommy is in need of some quiet time”, she will be more likely to calm down than if I tried to make her go into time out.
2. Tell a friend who gets it. I am blessed with so many friends at all stages of life. When my frustration is kid/meltdown/exhaustion/mundane-ness related, it really helps to cry/whine/vent to a friend who knows what it is like to be a stay at home mom to two little ones. Bonus points if the husband also works long hours or travels. You want to go somewhere where everyone knows you as a crazy person.