My kids are driving me crazy!! I don't know if they are all going through the same stage at the same time or what. Maybe they feel the stress I am feeling and are acting out. No matter what it is I am so sick and tired of the way they are acting.
So I tell them to do something. Lets take for instance I say bed time. They respond with,
"Mom, but can we stay up 5 more minutes?"
I say lets go get into the car. They respond with,
"But mom can we stay and play for 5 more minutes?"
I say lets stay for 5 more minutes and then head home. They respond with,
"But mom can we stay for 10 more minutes?"
You get the picture?
This probably doesn't seem like that big of a deal. It really is though. They respond with this......"But Mom can we......." Every single time I ask them to do something.
I went off on them the other night. They did the same routine, I ask them to clean up, get jammies on, brush their teeth and climb into bed. After every one of the request they came back with a "but mom" response. So when it came down to the bed and climbing in it, you can imagine that I had enough.
At the top of my mean mom lungs, and with my mean mom, "I mean business" look, I yelled,
"I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU GUYS SAYING BUT MOM AND PROLONGING WHAT I AM ASKING YOU TO DO. WHEN I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING SAY YES MA'AM AND THEN JUST DO IT, RIGHT THEN. I AM NOT TUCKING ANYONE IN AND I AM NOT GIVING ANYONE GOODNIGHT KISSES"
I shut the light off, and slammed the door.
As soon as I walked out all you could hear was crying. It sounded like there were at least 10 girls in their crying.
"I want kisses", "Mom come tuck us in", "No mom come back", "MOOOMMMMM"
I didn't go back in for the rest of the night. I hate nights like this! I hope this stage ends soon, like tomorrow morning!
Zoe does this to me all the time. What was it that Sebastion said in The Little Mermaid? "You give them an inch, they'll swim all over you." Most of the time I am very firm. I try to never give in to those five minute requests or they always try to get more out of you. They are not trying to drive us crazy, they are just exceptional negotiators and (like any human) trying to get the most they can out of every situation. Every once in a while I give in, but most of the time I don't because it seems like the second I do, it's over and I can't reel them in again. Many times I'll give them two options, both of which make me happy and let them choose. That seems to make them feel better. For instance: If Zoe asks me to stay up five more minutes I will tell her she can stay up just five more minutes, but she doesn't get a bedtime story, or she can go get ready for bed, like I asked, and have a story. After that there are no more gives...and either way, she still gets to be on time. That's just my experience. Good luck to you!! :)
ReplyDeleteI am SO feeling your pain, anger, and discouragement!! I have told so many people this week that my kids are just testing their boundaries and it's driving me crazy!! It is sad to say....but I am counting down the days until school starts back up!! Hang in there girl!
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