Surviving Young Children

[TurtleMama]

Oh Lordy...it's been one of THOSE days... my kids are pushing very single button and flipping every single switch that I own!!!!!! Why can't there be a prep for preschoolers/kindergarteners? Hmmmm....like a padded room complete with snacks and juice boxes that you could put them in to yell as loud as they want and bounce off the whiles while mommy takes a nap or drinks a cup of coffee and reads a book???

 

I know that those of you who have older kiddos are probably laughing and thinking "Oh, just wait....you ain't seen nothing yet!" But wow...please tell me that at least when they're teenagers they don't stomp around like dinosaurs and roar right into your headache-ridden head louder than a T-rex ever dreamed of roaring (my daughter, believe it or not), or lecture you on the fact that you're wearing your baseball hat the wrong way because they're SUPPOSED to be BACKWARDS (this is said with a high volume by my 5 year old son). LOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a great idea...we could all get together and write a book on surviving motherhood at all ages and stages!!! That would make us some money to sponsor the website!!!

 

This is how I've probably looked to my kids all day: :duck 1: LOL!!!

[Jori]

Do you want to exchange phone numbers and we can hide in our bedroom closets on the phone, while they scream at us and stomp around like dinosaurs (DD, too)? LOL I thought I was the only one.

 

I didn't post this morning but thought I was on my way to the ER with DD last night. They were suppose to be settling down so they could go to sleep but daddy wasn't home and I had my hands full. She started spinning around in circles, arms out (think The Sound of Music), going pretty fast. She stopped and I told her to sit down so she didn't fall. Turned my back to fold a sheet, caught her out of the corner of my eye running toward the door dizzily. She hit the trim on our door at a dizzy 3 year old speed, with her temple. The screaming ensued and I could barely console her (she fought until she realized it was me). By the grace of God, she didn't split open her temple, and there was little bruising this morning. So the start of my day was preschool for her being canceled because of dense fog and the end of the day was concussion duty until midnight. I'm with you that it has to be easier somehow the older they are.

 

[Deerslayer]

sorry--turtlemama--they still will yell at you, stomp around, and be critical of everything you wear--believe it or not--all of those things will get worse by the teenage years--that is why i am completely crazy

[gofish]

Yup .They crank it up as teens. MOM YOU ARE NOT WEARING THAT!

Why can't I. You are so unfair! Stomp Stomp Slam.

Oh then there's $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for this and that.The school thinks you are made of it.

[TurtleMama]

Ugh...afternoon got worse after my original post -- eventually descending into full-scale nuclear meltdowns by both my children. It wasn't pretty. I think that there is still emotional fallout floating around my house, especially from my newly angsty almost-six year old son... LOL

 

I always thought that drama and ATTITUDE were the realms of girls only...having been one of three girls in my family I was never around six-year old boys very much...but I am rapidly discovering that my little man is QUITE adept at copping a TUDE with me and being extremely dramatic. My daughter, at three, is still just loud.

 

I'll say one thing about being a mother -- just when you thought you'd got it down, they throw another curve ball at you. hehehe!

 

And NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO -- please, PLEASE say it ain't so that this gets WORSE when they're teenagers!!!! LOLOLOL (although I knew, deep down inside, that it did... *sigh*)

[ANewMe]

I have both ends of the spectrum AND in between. 18 year old....won't even get started on that and 5 yr old girl....dramatic girl....loud girl....whinny girl....angelic girl with horns. Get my drift. Has her Daddy WRAPPED. Then our 11 yr old boy who has middle child syndrome so badly I think he could rename it. He just informed me that we ruined his life when we had her and could we please send her back and trade.

 

The other morning she was on her normal morning meltdown. She screamed and cried...didn't want anyone to look at her....it was horrible. DS walks through and after she screamed DONT LOOK AT ME....DONT TALK TO ME he very calmly walked to his room and got his machine nerf gun and tore her tail up with it. That blood curdling scream caused me to get mascara in the hair and go to school with only half my face completed.

 

I feel you turtle....I really, really do. My main concern right now is she's talking about her boyfriend and breaking up and getting back together. Where she is getting this...NO IDEA....I guess from school.

 

OH...one more story I MUST share....then I'll hush. The other day DS and I were running through Sonic and out of the blue he asks me how many kinds of sex were there. OK...so I'm stuttering...broke out into an instant sweat....couldn't breathe...you get the picture. Then he says "You know Mom like race...they have black, white, indian. So i was wondering how many kinds of sex there were." He meant GENDER. Yes I know....very funny but the car hop that I almost ran over didn't think it was that funny.

 

I think I'm going to have to invest in nitro-glycerin tablets and if you get the padded room could I please come stay? It sounds like the ideal place for me on most days.

[Jingles]

I haven't been on in a while and decided to visit today and what did I find? My house being discribed by someone else! My 6 yr old Son is not only a Drama King he has master the skill of turning my 3 yr old daughter from a normal screaming, stomping T-Rex into a Screaming at the top of her lungs, slightly purple, terror with fangs and horns. ALL he did was look at her! Yes I now realize this behavior is normal 6 yr old boy and 3 yr old girl and all I can say is WHO was the idiot who decided the closer they are in age the better? My brother and I were 6 years apart and if he bugged me I beat him up and he left me alone. My parents knew he could take it and I wouldn't kill him. But when they are close together they can take each other on and it is a tuff guess who's going to win and who's going to end up with the bandaids. And before you start to wonder NO I don't allow that behavior and strongly forbid it, but you know the minute you get on the phone or go to the "potty" (AKA Santcuary!!!) they go after each other like wild dogs on a dead deer! Boy am I scared of the Teenage years. My son already thinks he knows it all. Ugh! And my daughter is convinced she is a true princess! Wait till I put a pea under her mattress and prove her wrong. he he

[CeeGee]

Okay, so mine are 33, 30 and 27........it doesn't get ANY easier, ladies!

 

ANewMe, I have a story a bit like yours. When my oldest son (now 33) was about 4 he and his dad were cleaning out his toy box and he asked his dad "Am I too young to have sex"? Well, his dad started stammering and trying to think of something to say...then my son showed his dad an id card he found in a play wallet! Needless to say dad was very relieved!

[Deerslayer]

well, mine are all in their 20s now--and maybe this will be a bright spot for all you young moms--mine all flipped personalities when they hit their teens--the quiet one got loud, the trouble maker got quiet, the serious one got funny--so maybe that will help ya'll sleep a little better tonight--if they are hard on you now, maybe you will sail through the teen years.

[Christy]

Lol, just lol.

Oh and a hug.

[Mother]

Well mine are all old enough now to be facing what I went through with them. They have babies, toddlers, tweens, teens, and young adult children just getting married....and all I have to say is.....Serves them right

 

Of course, all along the way I kept apologizing to MY MOM, for all the 'stuff' I put HER through and she just laughs and says "I TOLD you they would grow up eventually!"

 

If it's any councilation, mine all turned out to be great adults that I can respect as well as love and enjoy. The first three were a handful and when I had a late one after 16 years I thought it would be a piece of cake, NOT! But he now is a father with 5 daughters and a son on the way and is a hard working guy and a dedicated father. You can't ask for more than that.

 

I leave you with my Mom's favorite saying..."And this too shall pass."

 

(course if you're like me,,,,you will have years of asking......WHEN )

[Jori]

Well mine are all old enough now to be facing what I went through with them. They have babies, toddlers, tweens, teens, and young adult children just getting married....and all I have to say is.....Serves them right

 

Of course, all along the way I kept apologizing to MY MOM, for all the 'stuff' I put HER through and she just laughs and says "I TOLD you they would grow up eventually!"

 

If it's any councilation, mine all turned out to be great adults that I can respect as well as love and enjoy. The first three were a handful and when I had a late one after 16 years I thought it would be a piece of cake, NOT! But he now is a father with 5 daughters and a son on the way and is a hard working guy and a dedicated father. You can't ask for more than that.

 

I leave you with my Mom's favorite saying..."And this too shall pass."

 

(course if you're like me,,,,you will have years of asking......WHEN )

 

When does it pass?!?!?!

 

I so understand why women had children when they were in their 20's. I was 31 almost 32 when DD was born and had turned 33 a few months before DS was born. The energy I had in my 20's would have come in so handy as well as the ability to function on little or no sleep right about now.

[Jori]

Jingles~

 

Nice to see you again!

[Cat]

When my 2 older ones were young, they were all about sibling rivalry. Big brother was curious, talented, busy, and lil sis was just the same, but 2 1/2 years younger made some of the skills lag a bit. She got SO frustrated, and he lorded it over her.

 

When they got to picking on each other to the point of screaming, (me AND them! LOL) I made them sit down on the floor and make faces at each other. Separated far enough away that they couldn't touch, but facing each other. Of course they were mad. Of course they didn't want to laugh at the other. THEY were gonna make the funniest faces and make the OTHER ONE laugh!

 

Well, of course, making faces doesn't hurt, it causes no permanent damage, and it does make them laugh at each other. It wasn't long until they were giggling and laughing, and all that pent-up "go juice" was being used up in huge belly-laughs.

 

Then I'd pull out the homemade playdough and sit them at the kitchen table to make stuff while I did kitchen duty.

http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?sh...c=1820&st=0

 

 

 

[mommato3boys]

sorry--turtlemama--they still will yell at you, stomp around, and be critical of everything you wear--believe it or not--all of those things will get worse by the teenage years--that is why i am completely crazy

 

 

LOL...

 

I miss those days at least juice and cookies kept them still for 5 minutes - teenagers grab the juice and cookies as they stomp through. And there was nothing better than clean boys right out of the bath tub cuddled up in my lap ready for their bed time story.....hummmmmm now well I am lucky if they are home when I go to bed...my baby is 20.

 

Don't worry you will survive. I tell everyone my boys lived to see 18 and graduate high school and I didn't go to jail once LOL.

 

My motto is - I am the meanest mom around. That worked until they hit high school and they come up the perfect come back...If you were the meanest mom around you would let us do what we want...gotta love 'em

 

The boys stand taller than me and they pick on me about my white hairs in my red hair (my gray hair is pure white) I tell them to leave hair alone those are my battle scars and they put everyone of them there.

[mommato3boys]

Almost forgot wait until they are OLDER teenagers and walk in the kitchen and find you and hubby embraced kissing and you hear...

 

OMG get a room!

 

Thank God dad is neutered.

 

OH GROSS I lost my appetite.

 

 

Hubby's answer...hey be glad I still love your mom you could have a stepmom a couple of years older than you....

 

flying missile hit hubby in the back of the head at least it was just a pillow from the couch. This resulted in a wrestling match in the living room. Now you know why I don't collected breakable stuff. I have 4 boys LOL

 

[TurtleMama]

LOL...I'm so glad for all of you, your perspectives and your wisdom!!! Jingles, it sounds like we're in exactly the same boat, with two dino-daughters and 6-year old boys (my son'll be six in less than a month). Maybe we can meet one day for Mexican food and margaritas!! We'll need them! LOL

 

Cat, I love the face making game...you're SO smart -- Mother, thank you for the words of wisdom, "this too shall pass"...I know that one day I will look back on days like yesterday and feel they passed TOO fast (I can only say that because it's now tomorrow, LOL!) -- those of you with older kiddos and the stories of teenagers, you're preparing us younger moms for the challenges that surely await us and I'm grateful for your honesty!! hehehe Maybe I'll go hide NOW...

 

And Momma, you made me laugh SO hard.... "Thank God dad is neutered????" hehehehe That had me rolling on the floor! I love it!

 

One thing is for sure...no matter what their age, gender, or personality, our kids surely keep us on our toes!!

 

And praise God -- today is a much, much better day.

[michelle]

With a 4 year old DD and 2 year old DS I definitely understand your pain! Is the padded room legal? Because I want one! I'm worried about DD starting K in Aug because she thinks she is the princess and she's definitely a drama queen. Little man is more destructive than I realized boys would be. Oh my!!!

[AMarthaByHeart]

Just remember that one day when your precious grandchildren are acting like their parents did as children, you can smile from ear to ear. Your son says "Mom--not one word, I mean it not one word." I smile even bigger and tell him, "Why I wouldn't ever dream of it-----NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" With eleven Gks, I smile frequently.

[Cat]

Oh, I needed this thread again this morning...

 

LilDD, my youngest, started the stubborn stuff last night over homework. What makes a kid think the parent should be able to do every homework assignment? I tried to interpret and explain to her what she's supposed to be doing, but we just weren't communicating, I guess, and she got frustrated. Two hours later I realize she was PLAYING GAMES in her bedroom instead of working on it, and she's asking me AGAIN to help???

 

 

I did NOT "yell", but pointing out to her that I was disappointed in HER choices set her into a tizzy and of course I'M the bad guy. (Which made me REALLY want to "yell". )

 

(Does't help that we're both "hormonal" at the moment. )

 

 

Can we change the title to just "Surviving CHILDREN"????

 

 

[TurtleMama]

LOL Cat...yes, let's DO change it to "Surviving Children!" I think every age and stage has its challenges!

 

I'm REALLY not looking forward to having a homonal daughter...wow. That's a whole other level that I never even thought about until right now. LOL I think I'll put that on the back burner until it happens.

 

[MommyofSeven]

My middle kids are 9 and 11. They are 2 years and 5 days apart.

 

When they were about 5 and 7 they were at it all the time. Of course, when they were younger, it went back and forth. I took a break from cleaning the kitchen once (I would estimate they were about 1 1/2 and 3/12) to go potty and came out to find the younger of the two (DD) dripping wet. conversation goes something like this:

 

Me: Why are you wet?

DS: I washed her

Me: (looking around for washrag) With what?

DS: This (holding up 409 bottle)

 

Now that one was my fault, but well...he was trying.

 

Anyway, when they were about 5 and 7 they would not stop. So I tied them together, with scarves, right hand to left hand. Not tight, and they had about 18 inches of room between them. But they had to work together to do anything. Only one had a free right hand, so that one had to help the other one. Lunch was an adventure! Even sitting on the couch to watch TV took coordination.

 

Now, at 9 and 11, they have normal disagreements, but no out and out battles, and most of the time they get along pretty well. I won't say it was the tying them together, but I think learning that they will always need to depend on each other helped.

 

And yes, I'm already measuring scarves for the youngest two-who make me want to scream each and every day! Having an 18 year old who gave me very little problems once she got past the hormonal mess of preteen/early teen years, I hope the others are that way. And yes, I know they will all be different, but dn't distract me from my little hopeful illusion, LOL.

 

[Cat]

Bumping this to the top for those who need a giggle or ideas...

 

 

 

[Twilight]

You know there are three types of children - Normal - which most children are, willful- not many of these in comparsion and incorrigible , thank God there are very few of these.

When you raise a willful child alone, and it is your only child, it is not easy. Sounds like y'all have normal children! Count your blessings!!!

 

Twilight