Sometimes when I express my frustration that I spend my days with I literally do not ever raise my voice at my sweet daughter. HOWEVER, I long ago surpassed my patience threshold and yesterday I lost it. It’s been day after day of just trying to get through to her bedtime. We’ve been potty training for 1.5 weeks now and while it seemed like she’d be completely perfect, it’s not really going very well anymore. She has also always been very clingy with me and I don’t get a break when we’re together.
The 2.5 hours when my daughter is at preschool on M,W, and F is my lifeline, but sweet girl is about to have 2.5 weeks off. (No idea really why that’s necessary in a Jewish school. It’s not like the minor holiday of Chanukah requires travel.) I’d started praying already for extra patience.
Today, after getting angry and then disheartened and then calling a friend for moral support, I decided that things need to change. I sat my daughter down and leveled with her. I apologized for getting upset earlier.
I told her that I am not going to be picking her up and carrying her again while we are in our house.
I told her that there will be times every day when she will need to play by herself. I am not her playmate.
I told her that she can decide whether she goes pee pee in her potty or in her undies. I’m backing off over here.
I told her that there will be more rules now.
At bedtime last night, my husband asked her what her favorite part of the day was. She said “when Mommy was talking to me tonight.” Huh.
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Good for you. Straight, to the point, respectful, loving yourself and her! You ROCK!!!!
Thats the perfect response. She definitely understands ground rules. When you are home and i come over, forget about miss chelsea. Lol, you are her favorite person. I will be back soon! See u tuesday!
This may be my favorite of all of your posts. Laughed. And remembered.
— Dave