I really love my kids more than anything in the world.
But I’ve got to be honest.
Sometimes I don’t really like them.
At all.
Like sometimes I dread the moment I hear them tiptoeing down the stairs in the morning, and as soon as they step foot on the first floor, the countdown to bedtime begins.
I am going through this right now with Number 7.
She’s three.
And I’m pretty sure she’s trying to kill me.
When I started writing this blog, Number 4 was 5 years old.
She was a handful.
She gave me a lot of stuff to write about.
Like the time she was really pissed on the first day of school.
There was the time she stole $150 from my husband and brought it to her classroom for show and tell.
There was the time she announced to her class where she had deposited a large amount of sand.
There were lots and lots and lots of other times.
I was sure Number 4 was trying to kill me, too.
But compared to Number 7, Number 4 was an amateur.
She was like the PSAT’s.
She was just preparing me for Number 7.
Number 7 is wearing me down.
She’s relentless.
And she’s impervious.
She’s like Superman.
But stronger.
I haven’t been able to figure out her kryptonite.
The five-year-old gives me a run for my money, but I’ve got five-year-old kryptonite.
The Wii. And the DS.
The five-year-old will get his shit together for the electronics.
The six-year-old will stop screwing around when her Barbies are on the line or when she might not be able to swim with her friends during the big kids’ swim practice.
But the three-year-old?
She cares about NOTHING.
She doesn’t care about electronics or TV or Barbies or swim practice or anything.
A couple weeks ago she was at a friend’s house, and the mom was getting rid of this little lamp.
Number 7 was kind of obsessed with it, and she asked if she could have it. The mom said yes. So we took it home.
Number 7 was all about that lamp.
Last week when she was really giving me a run for my money, I had gotten to the point where I just couldn’t take it anymore and I looked at her and I said, “I’m going to take that lamp out of your room.”
And she looked right at me and screamed, “GO AHEAD! I DON’T CAY-YUH! TAKE IT MOMMY! TAKE IT! TAKE IT! GO AHEAD MOM! TAKE IT!”
I just sat there with my mouth hanging open.
She never stops.
And I’m running out of gas.
And while I think she is super smart and very funny and incredibly athletic and highly resourceful and I admire her in all sorts of ways, well,
I also just don’t love being around her a lot of the time right now.
I know this phase will pass.
I know, one day, like when she is a teenager, I will look back on these days and possibly think they were easier.
Preferable even.
But right now?
Well, right now, I’m really just glad that she’s sound asleep.
Look cute while you manage the chaos. Click here.
Love this! I have a 3yo girl and she’s CRAZY! I took away all toys from her room and left her in there for 8 hours! Ugh threenangers are the worst!
This made me laugh and it reminded me of something my 3 year old daughter said last year. She was being crazy like most three years old are and it was right before Christmas so I threatened her with Santa won’t bring you any presents if you don’t stop doing…. and she looks me straight in the eye and says I don’t care mom I don’t want Santa to bring me presents anyway I don’t want them so you call him and tell him.she turns around and continued said annoying thing. After I closed my dropped jaw(like what 3 year old on planet earth says they don’t want presents from santa) I realized it is never going to get easier haha.
I’ve always said 3 is harder than 2. A 2 year old is still babyish, cute and cuddly. A 3 year old has major sass and the vocabulary to go along with it.
Have you tried telling her that the reason for her behavior is that she is “really tired” and must not be getting enough sleep. Until you see improvement she will be going to bed an hour earlier…or more. Repeat as needed.
Brings back memories of my tough 3 year old looking at me on the verge of tears from frustration and saying, “Cry Mommy, Cry!”
Oh girl, you do have your hands full with that one! It’s a good thing she’s so cute!
I hope you did at least take the lamp!
My kids hated early bedtime too. They are 16 and 18 now – the 18 year old was just Valedictorian of his class. They are – and always have been – two very different people. The 18 year old is very much a human now, but had his moments. The 16 year old was always my easy one until this year. I will still use “early bedtime” if they are pushing my buttons. And they say that it’s what they remember as being the “worst punishment.” Go figure. Lol
Thank you for sharing this. Sometimes I feel bad for getting so frustrated with my son, but I am humbled by amazing women who can do what you do.
My son just turned three, and I swear, though he is an amazing kid in comparison to many that I know, I am telling you now.. The MOMENT that third birthday hit it was like he suddenly became so much more whiny and SO much less patient, and much of the time I have to take mommy “time outs” in my room and make him go away so that I don’t punt him across the room. Ha.