As I mentioned, I'm a mother of four; our two oldest are in elementary school. I have been noticing a shift in everyone's mood in this last week, and I really hope that it's just temporary insanity and not a sign of how the whole summer will play out. I have to say, I'm really looking forward to not having to set my alarm every morning, but not if it's going to be like this.
Normally, I walk into the bedroom shared by my two youngest to find my 4-year old playing quietly, and I can wake my 2 year old up gently, resulting in smiles and hugs as she slowly draws herself out of her slumber. This morning, they were both awake before me and arguing already. Not the idyllic beginning to my day I had hoped for!
My 11 year old has environmental allergies that affect his mood. He takes daily medication to help with this, and those take about an hour to reach full efficacy. In the interim, he's moody, broody and sullen. Today, he seemed even moreso. Now, I don't know if this is standard 11 year old behaviour, or if it's allergy-driven, but it's not okay in my house. His attitude got him grounded from his iPod today, and it was barely 8:15.
My 8 year old is smart, funny, caring and easily distracted. But she seems even more scattered than usual, which seems to particularly annoy my husband in the morning. Today, she couldn't find the enormous jar of peanut butter, which has lived in the same cupboard for the entire time we've lived here (okay, we've only lived here for three months, but this kid makes a LOT of PB&J sandwiches...)
All of this culminated in a disagreement between my beloved and I, which has started both of our days off on the wrong foot.
When it seems that everyone has gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, how do you press the reset button?
For me, it all starts with two balloons. Nothing lifts your mood like blowing up balloons for your two preschoolers, then sitting back and watching them bat them around the living room, laughing and squealing with delight.
Reset, indeed :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
-
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot 1) How do I juggle the bills without getting some utility cut off? 2) Whether we are e...
-
It is Tertius' 5th birthday today! It hardly seems like this much time has passed, but here we are, with a little boy who attended his k... -
I have a confession to make. I hate housework. Yes, me - the proprietor of Busy Bee Domestic Wizardry, where I cleaned other peoples...
It's at least partially an 11-yr old's issue. Flynn's generally cheerful disposition has taken a beating over the past year while he's 11. I presume that evolution kicks in at some point and improves their mood -- otherwise few of them would live much past that age.
ReplyDelete