Dan came through the door as I was changing a nappy covered in a puddle of tears. I said five words I haven’t verbalised for quite some time. I CAN’T DO IT ANYMORE!
It’s not what you think either. I’m coping with the newborn it’s the three year old who I can’t seem to work through.
This age are notorious for having small attention spans. She stresses me out beyond belief with her inability to listen and her ability to do everything possible to be naughty.
How is it that two seems impossible? I had been warned about it being hectic and the first born often reacting badly to the new addition. Maybe this is her cry for attention.
It’s gotten to the point of this continuous dialogue increasing in volume as she cheekily says NO!
‘Matisse can you stop doing that please?
Matisse can you stop doing that please?
Matisse sit down with me’ (explain why I don’t want her to be doing what she is doing)
Continues to do whatever I don’t want her to be doing
‘MATISSE STOP!’
Then there are tears and tantrums for 30 minutes.
Or there are the quick bursts of
STOP!STOP!STOP! And a big scream of STOP! At the end to top it off. That one happened last night as she was about to stomp on Willows head as she jumped on the bed. This is my reaction to a dangerous situation yet it is still ineffective.
I got her in to bed and she was happy as Larry when Dan got home to give her a goodnight cuddle. I wanted to be him for that moment.
As I unloaded on Dan it became painfully obvious my coping mechanisms were completely broken. Broke down long ago I feel. Getting to bed late and Willow waking a bit in the night wasn’t helping the situation. So I got told to go to bed.
I had nine hours sleep! And will be going to bed early from now on.
Now to work on my communication skills… how do I get her to listen without getting to the yelling stage? And how do I avoid the tantrums? Any advice would be appreciated because I am completely drained emotionally. I want to enjoy the time I have with her, not be telling her off all the time and have her rolling around on the ground crying.
Often stopping and asking her for a cuddle and telling her I love her works but sometimes I need her to learn that crossing the road with out an adult is not okay.
What are your suggestions? I’d love to hear of your experiences.
