How very 4 1/2.

[mizarchivist]

This kid... A great kid.  And very age-appropriate. Favorite thing these days is to say "yeah yeah yeah..." and then not do the thing I want him to do (like get up and get dressed). Then as soon as I try to implement consequences, he freaks out.  It's been 3 days in a row of this where my reaction has been dumping into anger in ways I find unhelpful. Well, OK, 2. Today I managed to walk back my irritatation. He was more interested in goofing off than getting ready, so I had to follow through on no trip to the coffee shop for [some treat, maybe a smoothie]. Maybe tomorrow.

It's just so freaking exhausting.  I was going to ask for reasurrance that this is required and it'll not always be like this, but looking back at dropping him off at school, he was fine. It also helped that Jaime didn't hammer where no hammer was required. That is a thing that actually makes me feel worse, when there's constant repetition from her, and the kid's not remotely listening the first time, will not listen the 12th time. Just stop. So, that was also good. Maybe tomorrow we can have our adventure morning at Kickstand.

Comments

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Right there with ya, beautiful.

[mizarchivist]

::solidarity::

[42itous.livejournal.com]

Oh joy, something to look forward to. :-P

[mizarchivist]

Your bear is differently wired- I bet she'll do something that is infuriating, but maybe not to Crime Fighter's volume. :) Fingers crossed.

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

Sympathies, as I've been there in terms of anger and exhaustion
::solidarity::

[mizarchivist]

And as I was saying at the bar mitzvah-- if I can gameify the activity, we all tend to be happier... but eventually he needs to brush his effing teeth. :)

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

I'm a gamer, but ironically I take everything else seriously since there's a time crunch much of the time.

[veek.livejournal.com]

I was just reflecting to a friend yesterday about how much I'm enjoying (seemingly) being out of the latest asshole phase, which lasted at least a couple of months.

Solidarity, sister.

[mizarchivist]

I mean, it's not like he's a jerk all the time. Not at all-- just the daily contention over stuff we have to get him to do. So. Tired.

[drwex]

/me sits in the solidarity corner

Pygment's strategy is to make them say back what they've agreed to. So instead of just "OK" or "Yeah" they have to use words and get those words right. She thinks it helps - I'm less sure, but I do know it's less frustrating than the alternative.

[mizarchivist]

It is only moderately effective with preschoolers. I'd like to think that middle/high schoolers have evolved further. One can wish and dream.

[drwex]

One can! I find it a daily exercise. Then they surprise us. Who knew?

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

I'm 'fondly' remembering this stage, which has now morphed from 'you have to pry my mouth open to brush my teeth' to 'like, DUH, you forgot to tell me tonight to brush my teeth! How terrible are you at this!'. I am waiting patiently for her to just brush her teeth as a matter of course, no commentary necessary. That is happening already, on many fronts, but exerting independence in various ways will always be there, for a long time to come. She held J's hand all day through a zoo trip though, which caused him much heart gushing. The don't touch/cuddle me stage has gone back to willing/wanting to hold his hand in public for prolonged periods of time and super snuggles at story time. She's not growing out of that nearly as soon as we thought. (all by way of saying there are daily victories, and daily failures. Each go in their own box.) HUGS.

It's complicated

[mizarchivist]

It's a struggle, but I keep reminding myself that this WANT SNUGGLES thing will go away someday and then I'll miss it terribly. It's just sort of smothery sometimes, especially since his favorite thing is to stim on my arms rather than on a lovey or blanket.

We had such a great morning. With much coaching yesterday and this this morning, he managed to stay on track, get dressed and get out the door so we could hit the coffee shop before school.

[spinrabbit.livejournal.com]

4 1/2, 14 51/52nds, what's the difference. So much solidarity.

[mizarchivist]

ooof.