That boy...
Yes, that one.*
I didn't get it when he was a baby, or even a toddler. It wasn't until he got older. It's really only been in the last year that I have really gotten it. That boy is, how do I say it? Spirited. Spirited and a little on the difficult side. I would say he is disgruntled about 50% of the time. And it's not because life is hard on him, it is because he chooses to be disgruntled.
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I was too naive when he was a baby and my only child. I had very little experience. But he always had a hard time sitting (or laying) still. And going to sleep was always a fight. We had to rock, walk and talk to get that boy to settle down, even as a baby. He even had a period when he was between 2-2 1/2 that we would put him to bed and he would just lay in bed and cry from deep down from his guts for 30-40 minutes. He just didn't want to go to bed, that's it! And now that he is almost 5 I am really starting to realize what a challenge it is to raise that boy.
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Now I know that all children are challenging at times. But that boy is above and beyond in the challenging category. He is opinionated, complainy, a little explosive, yet so sensitive, sweet, social and friendly. He needs firm, but gentle all at the same time. As Dr. James Dobson says, I need to learn how to "break his will without breaking his spirit" because his will and his spirit ride so closely together. I am having to learn how to punish him for throwing a fit because things aren't going his way, without killing that sensitivity that is causing him to be upset in the first place. **Sigh**
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I love that boy! He is so funny, silly and a little wacky. I am actually thankful that he is challenging. Because he is our first, Shad and I have learned how to let him cry it out. Which we used on his little sister and that made for a child that can put herself to sleep. We have learned how to love our kids while remaining firm. But I have to say, IT IS NOT EASY! So I will press on, and continue to ask God for strength, wisdom and patience. And I will continue to be thankful that my partner in this whole parenting business is my patient, level-headed husband.
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That boy...
1 comment:
Oh, Becky, you have it so easy. I'll let you take on Annalise for a week and see how you do. lol
Last week she took her diaper off, pooped on her bedroom floor, squished the poop on a toy car, smeared poop on the wall, and came out of the room, saying, "I pooped."
Before that, she got into the dozen eggs that I had just bought, and cracked them all open on her bedroom floor and bed.
And before that, (luckily she was at my mom's house) she stomped on a bunch of plumbs in my mom's kitchen.
Yesterday she was at McDonald's and jumped up on the booth and stomped back and forth. She would not listen to me to get down and I had Elijah in my arms. I dragged her out of there and told her how angry I was at her. She faught with me to get into her carseat and I spanked her leg. Later, she said, "I be good now, mommy."
On my way to Weiser, I saw a "Second Chance Pet Adoption Agency" and thought of Annalise.
She is just constantly into things. And it's not like I don't watch her. She does this when I go to the bathroom, or when I'm changing Elijah's diaper, or putting on makeup. She can make the house look like a tornado hit it in five minutes. I catch her sitting on her brother sometimes.
She's at my mom's house now I'm curious how she's doing. She never had a kid like Annalise.
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