It took a little time but I'm back up and running. Most of
my current readers will know that I started to blog about 2 years ago when Q,
or Bubble, was about 17 months old. I did it for several months then stopped
when I ran into, what I guess you could call, writers block. I wanted to
start again so many times but life just got in the way. I actually have a
partial blog written from the end of last summer but right around that time I
became very ill with morning sickness. Unfortunately it ended up to be a
completely nasty pregnancy all the way through.
I had my head in the toilet for months. Luckily I was rewarded at
the end with what I would say was one of the quickest deliveries on record.
We delivered little girl 'Bean' at home and thankfully I managed to hold
out until the midwife arrived. Just barely though, as she didn't even
have time to take her coat off.
So anyhow, lots of ‘life’ has happened over the last year + since
I wrote about Bubble. We now have an additional family member - our sweet
little Bean - but sadly, on the heels of finding out we were to have another
child, we lost our beloved kitty, Miles. Life goes on though and we are
enjoying being parents to the two cutest little munchkins we know.
Bubble continues to amaze us with his grasp of language and his
understanding of the world around him. He is imaginative, busy,
industrious, and well...ummm...tyrannical or Spirited (as my friend aptly
called him the other day)!! He says things that make us laugh every day -
although most often lately I have to hide my face and laugh.
Unfortunately for me (and Bean probably) he is having lots and lots of
very loud tantrums lately and is throwing things I say to him back at me.
Lobbing out phrases like "Change your behaviour mommy”, or "I
don't like your attitude"...all during time out and shouted at me at the
top of his lungs. I absolutely have to
laugh (in private) to keep my sanity and to keep from shouting back at him.
Yes, having a spirited 3.5 year old has proven to be VERY challenging, especially now that his daycare is closed and I am home with him full time. I never believed I was cut out to be a full time stay at home mom, but that is what I am right now and although it is very challenging, it is proving to be a very good lesson in patience and self discipline for me. For the first few weeks after Bubbles daycare ended, I admittedly fell into a nonproductive pattern of shouting and getting angry at him for his misbehaviors, but I have now realized (through discussions with other parents and parenting books : )) that my own behavior has been part of the problem and I need to revise my parenting strategy. From the first time I ignored his tantrum and walked away without shouting or reacting, things started to change…ever so slightly…but the tantrums are getting a little less intense and frequent. I of course make sure he is safe and check in on him and hug if necessary, but I am making a big effort not to give in to his fit and get angry now. Getting angry and trying to reason with a raging 3.5 year old doesn't work...even though I want to rage at his rage sometimes.
Yes, having a spirited 3.5 year old has proven to be VERY challenging, especially now that his daycare is closed and I am home with him full time. I never believed I was cut out to be a full time stay at home mom, but that is what I am right now and although it is very challenging, it is proving to be a very good lesson in patience and self discipline for me. For the first few weeks after Bubbles daycare ended, I admittedly fell into a nonproductive pattern of shouting and getting angry at him for his misbehaviors, but I have now realized (through discussions with other parents and parenting books : )) that my own behavior has been part of the problem and I need to revise my parenting strategy. From the first time I ignored his tantrum and walked away without shouting or reacting, things started to change…ever so slightly…but the tantrums are getting a little less intense and frequent. I of course make sure he is safe and check in on him and hug if necessary, but I am making a big effort not to give in to his fit and get angry now. Getting angry and trying to reason with a raging 3.5 year old doesn't work...even though I want to rage at his rage sometimes.
