So, we’re on day 3 of Amy’s renewed commitment to being a more balanced parent. Had some successes and some failures today. Captain Earthquake managed to push my buttons this afternoon and I got impatient with him. 🙁 He just hates to leave the house, and gets all whiny whenever I say we have to go somewhere. Poor guy. I don’t blame him for feeling that way. I like to stay home too.
I had to run payroll today. I’m famous for forgetting to go in to the office on the Friday after Thanksgiving-shopping and all-so I decided to run it early. And we were really in need of some milk from the store. I warned the boys that we’d have to go but the Captain still managed to pull his usual delaying tactics when I was trying to get out the door. Which drives me crazy. He’s too little for me to just leave at home, and he knows I wouldn’t actually do it. So I can’t even pretend to leave without him. Today he managed to join us sans coat, which wasn’t comfortable in 38-degree weather. When we were leaving the church office to head to the store he managed to lose a shoe and actually told me that he’d just go with one shoe when I said I was going to wait in the van for him.
Yeah. Not only is it 38 degrees out, but it’s raining. I can’t take a coatless one-shoed kid into the store the night before Thanksgiving without fear of arrest. That’s when I stomped around, found the shoe, and lectured him severely about how annoying it is to have to find things for him and put up with his complaining when we HAVE to go to the store. We need to eat and drink, and it’s not fair to always have Hubby stop on his way home from work. The man doesn’t get home until 6 most nights as it is. We made it to the store and finished shopping with one very miserable little boy in tow. He cheered up considerably as soon as we pulled into the garage.
On the positive side, I spent time with each boy doing at least something pleasant today, and they all had the day off from school. We all sat down as a family tonight and snuggled on the couch to enjoy the new Ben 10 movie, and Hubby popped popcorn for them. I got their feet measured for new boots (big sale early tomorrow morning) and they’re excited about seeing them when they get up. I had a talk with the older boys tonight about how there’s too much anger with various people snapping at other people, and we pledged to be more positive with each other. I think I need to start treating them like bigger kids more often. They seemed to like the conversation.
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate the holiday.
Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want to use Love and Logic.