Parenting

The Day I Recognized A Big No-No In My Language

“You’re going to have to wait for daddy to come home. He’s better at these things than I am. You know, he’s better at figuring out how these things work and following instructions”

I’m sorry, what?

That’s what I said to my kid before I stopped myself in my tracks and took a moment to process what I just said. I just implied to my child – my son – that his dad is better at putting toys together than his mom. I just gave him the idea that his mom isn’t equipped to figure out the complexities of a Transformer (ages 8+, kinda tricky). read more

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Helping My Son Get Ready For His First Day of School

For those of you who have children in school, you must know how I’m feeling right now about my first – and only – child starting school. You know, those nervous and exciting feelings intertwining and running amok in your veins and you’re not quite sure how to handle them?

Well, that’s me to a T these days. My son is starting school in less than a month and I’m wondering how in this life of mine has time gone by so quickly. I mean, there are days when I can feel myself actually aging because time is moving as slow as it possibly can. Yet, here we are, pulling a Jurassic World backpack and blue lunch bag off the shelves and into my already full cart. Water bottle? Check. Splash pants? Check. Box of tissues beside the door and in the car ready for the day I need to send my tiny human off into the world on his own? Check – but remember to get some backup. read more

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Sleeping With the Enemy – When You Are Your Worst Critique

The other day, I bumped into an old acquaintance. She’s pretty judgmental and I always feel like I have to prove something to her. She gives me that disapproving look that says it all: you’re not good enough. She’s the worst.

Unfortunately, this acquaintance is a little more than an acquaintance. I’ve know her forever. Literally, forever. This acquaintance is me.

I’m my worst enemy when it comes to judgment.

I have this unrealistic vision of how things should be like and how my child should behave. I think, I must be a bad mom since my kid is refuses to calm down like I’ve asked. read more

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Making the Decision to Change How We Parent

There’s something to be said about strong-willed children. If you have a child with this prized characteristic trait, then you know what I’m talking about.

This evening my husband and I reached our breaking point. All this time we thought we had seen the worst, but apparently our mini felt like he hasn’t quite been giving it his all. Tonight, however, we feel as if we’ve reached the top of Mount Everest. Something needs to change, and it needs to happen now.

Leave it to my kid to make sure he gets the full preschool-age experience. He’s been challenging us to the greatest degree and it feels as if he keeps trying to outsmart, outwit, and outplay us. Yes, we are literally playing Survivor. read more

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Learning to Forgive Myself

 Our toddler has upped his game by pushing every boundary and button he possibly can.

I find myself losing my patience with him more quickly these days and my lack of control is worrisome for me.

I find myself wanting him to conform to who I want him to be and what I want him to do. It’s easy to forget that he is his own person, trying to make sense of the world I brought him into. He needs more time and I need to learn to give it to him.

Unfortunately, I let my anxiety and impulsiveness get the best of me at his expense. read more

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I Took a Toy From My Son and I Felt Great

I took a toy away from my son because he just wouldn’t listen.

I took a toy away from my son and while I felt empowered and knew it was the right thing to do, I still hurt inside.

Allow me to give you some background information. My son is three and he is embracing the age as if this is the greatest battle he will need to fight. My son is strong-willed, determined, stubborn, and persistent.

His presence is known.

Lately, it’s been nearly impossible to get him to listen. I know other parents can sympathize. I know we aren’t the only parents going through this, but it sure feels like we are. I am, like I imagine other parents are, convinced his ears are clogged with some powerful soundproof substance that is only removed when words that sound like “cookie”, “park”, or “ice cream” come to the surface. His selective listening skills are impeccable. read more

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My Breastfeeding Nightmare

A few weeks ago, I was looking for a notebook for a reason I can’t remember. It was clearly important enough for me to find one because I looked in the guest room closet, a closet I rarely go into.

There, on the top shelf, was a notebook. I immediately recognized it as the one I got for myself after my son was born. I couldn’t remember exactly why I hid it, but I felt hostility towards it. I pulled it off the shelf and I opened it up.

Within seconds of opening the notebook, all the emotions I felt during that time 3 years ago came rushing in like a tsunami wave. The emotions crashed down on me harder than I expected. I remembered then why I had put this notebook away, hoping to never see it again. read more

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I Work Part-Time But My Son is in Full-Time Daycare

Daycare is closed this week and, because it’s summer and I’m not working, I’m home with my son. It’s just me and my mini-human. All day, every day. For five days straight.

Throughout the week, and during my temporary stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) duty, I’ve been thinking about what it takes to be a SAHM and the thoughts are just as exhausting to me as actually staying home. This week has been the confirmation I’ve looked for ever since I made the decision not to be a SAHM.

By mid-week I was ready to pack up my child and ship him off back to daycare. It’s not that I don’t love our time together, because I do. It’s just that I cannot entertain him like daycare can. I don’t have the patience that daycare has. And because my son is an only child and daycare is full of other kids, my son looks to me for play time and it’s exhausting. read more

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50 Thoughts That Run Through My Mind in the Morning

Last week, That’s Inappropriate posted 50 THOUGHTS THAT RUN THROUGH MY MIND FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET.

I clicked on the article to open it and laughed the entire way through. This is motherhood! This is real! I’m not the only mama whose mind is on overdrive!

When I finished reading the post, I started thinking about what goes on in my own mind during the day, since my brain never seems to want to shut off.

However, instead of writing my thoughts during the day, I decided to jot down the 50 thoughts that come to me in the morning, since that’s when my day starts and when my mind starts to drive me crazy. The mornings are busy and, to be honest, my one child makes me feel like there are five children running around asking me (whining rather) for this and that. read more

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A Note to All Mamas Out There

To the mom whose child is freaking out on the floor in the grocery store:
I’ve been there and I feel you. I don’t think my child will ever stop testing my patience.

To the mom who chooses to breastfeed:
Way to go! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t breastfeed in public!

To the mom who wants to breastfeed but can’t get her baby to latch:
I’ve been there. You’re not failing. Breastfeeding is hard.

To the mom who chooses to bottle feed:
You’re feeding your child the way you want to and what’s best for your family. You’re awesome. Please don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. read more

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