2.20.2009

Look beyond the screaming child

We had a rough morning today. I mean ROUGH. I was definitely not ready for that when I got out of the shower in a good mood b/c it's Friday. Emily just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. From the first moment I talked to her it was whining, crying, and the worst talking back I have seen to date.

She didn't want to brush her teeth, she threw a fit that she had to wear jeans today, then it wasn't the right headband, and finally I'm sorry you can't have a granola bar because we are out of them but here is a strawberry frosted poptart instead (for a moment there I thought she was going to throw it at me and I am not sure what I would have done b/c time out might not have cut it). She went to bed early last night and woke up at a decent time this morning. WTF?!?

Then it hit me. She went to bed early last night. Emily never goes to bed early...unless...she doesn't feel good. Kids don't always understand what is going on with themselves. They don't have experience to tell them that they are in a terrible mood or grumpy because they feel like crap. Unless they are throwing up or even just that their stomach hurts, it's sometimes hard to identify what is really going on.

I took her temperature and looked down her throat. Everything seemed OK but I bet by the end of the weekend what has been going around her school and my work will show it's face in my little girl. So there you have it..my "aha" moment that I would like to think shows that I am gaining experience in the mom department. It's funny how when I finally figured out why she was being a holy terror I felt bad for her rather than frustrated with her. I don't think kids (at least at this age) try to be "bad". They just don't know what else to do.

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