Transition Pains

Nothing reminds you that your are full of crap like a dose of reality--or in my case several days worth of doses.

Apparently I underestimated how the boys' transition to having me around full time would go. I also didn't anticipate how much I would struggle with being home among people who constantly fight, yell, and generally make everything a hundred times more difficult than it needs to be. I suppose I envisioned we'd get right to the business of having loads of fun! and getting along! and doing amazing things! the second vacation started. Okay, fine. Maybe I wasn't naïve enough to believe we'd all be shitting rainbows, but I have to admit that I just wasn't expecting the drama.

Holy Hell the last several days have been painful for all of us. It's been six LONG days, people! (All of you stay at home moms can laugh now. It's okay. It won't bother me.)

I've been called mean. (But was told I was still loved.)

They've told me far too often that they were bored even though I'm trying to mix it up and keep things interesting. We went on a treasure hunt one evening. We've played outside in the dirt. We've done bubbles and art and watched movies and read.

Sh.awn has made it his mission to annoy Ja.son in every way possible. If Ja.son is building a traffic jam (or whatever it is that he's doing), Sh.awn tells him he's going to mess it up. He'll make moves toward Ja.son to act like he's really going to do what he says. That sends Ja.son over the cliff. They yell.

Sh.awn finds a toy that's been out of circulation for a bit, and Ja.son will make it his mission to take the toy away. Sh.awn freaks out. They yell.

Jack is in the stage where he has a meltdown any time I have the nerve to utter (or even imply) the dreaded "no" word. He does not want to be redirected. He wants to do what he wants to do. The boy is two. He's into everything. He climbs. I end up having to say no a lot. He has a lot of meltdowns.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

I feel really bad because I shouldn't be this crazed with only three kids. I mean, I regularly have 40 students around me at any given time, and I swear I get less stressed than the last six days have made me!

It hasn't helped that we have had an appointment every day since vacation started.

Sigh.

Yesterday I broke down and went to Target to get a whiteboard. Knowing the big boys do so much better when they know what's coming, I wanted to have a way to write the daily schedule for the boys to look at. I figured not having to answer that question three million questions about when we are going to do xyz would go a long way toward protecting my mental health. Ahem. I also wanted to be able to schedule time for me to get something done around the house without them asking for me to stop and play give them a designated time for solitary play.

Day one was yesterday. I managed to keep my sanity.

Day two was today. It was a much better day. I didn't feel the need to run for cover the second Is.aac walked through the door. Score.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed about tomorrow. It will be an appointment free day for once.