Losin' it

It seems I often have a lower level of patience when G is not around...not sure why but I do and I find myself screaming at D when she is misbehaving or just not listening.

Case in point, the other morning she wants to go outside and play and I tell her, "No, you cannot because we have to go to school."

She says, "I don't want to go to school."

I try to reason with her, all sweet and such, "Whaat? But you love school. Don't we love Miss Candice?"

She shakes her head no. I am at a loss for words. How do you reply to that in a positive way?? Do you know? Because I certainly did not.

Somehow, things got outta control and I am screaming at her telling her that if she doesn't go to school, then she can just stand in the living room by herself, no one is going to play with her...I'm slamming doors, she is crying.

Sigh.

Yup, I do A LOT of sighing as a parent. A lot of sighing and a lot of crying on the inside because I just don't know what to do sometimes....

Anyhooo, we get things all squared away, she goes to school albeit 30 minutes late. But, truly there was just no way to justify, "Okay, fine. Don't go to school then." Hello? Not an option.

Later in the afternoon, D's in her car seat and from behind me she says, "Mom, are you sorry you lost your temper earlier today?"

Whaat?! Wherrrree?? WhOOOO?? Yeah.

And I replied, "Yes. I'm very sorry I lost my temper but I was really upset that you were fighting me and not wanting to go to school."

It's crazy.

I mean, yes, both G and I might lose our tempers sometimes and yes voices might get raised and we usually will apologize to D afterwards that we are sorry we lost our tempers and try to explain things to her in an adult fashion.

It's amazing to me that she now puts the concept together and can ask me if I'm sorry. Crazy I tell ya. Just crazy.