It was 6:30 a.m. The boys were wide awake as usual, slamming doors, playing their SpongeBob CD at top volume, all without thought of the sleeping baby that jerked in her sleep at each loud noise. I lay in bed in the state between awake enough to know I should do something about it and too tired to try. So I waited until little coos told me that the baby had woken up. She greeted me with sleepy eyes and a huge smile. I picked her up, and I very hesitantly opened my bedroom door.
The hallway floor was completely covered by blankets. On top of the blankets lay legos and Angel girl’s entire package of diapers, strewn about. I could feel my temperature rising. Then I walked by the bathroom and stared in disbelief. The floor and counter top was covered in towels. I took a few steps backward and stared into an empty shelf in the hallway closet. A shelf where every towel I own had been neatly folded the night previous.
I stepped forward, went back into the bathroom and opened the cupboard beneath the sink to find sanitary napkins and scrunchies soaked. Everything else was covered in droplets of water. Wow, it rained beneath my sink this morning. I could not believe what I was seeing. I could not believe that after I had told the kids time and time again not to play in the sink that they did this. Even more so, that they felt they could do it because I was half asleep.
I was so mad, for a minute. And then I took the baby out into the living room and just sighed. Sometimes, you get so tired of repeat offenses, you feel like yelling or inflicting punishment just won’t do any good. So I sat and read some blogs till I felt sufficiently calm. I reiterated to the boys that we do not play in the sink and that they were to pick up their mess right away. Which they did, under my supervision. I was proud that I did noy lash out in anger.
Now how in the heck do I get them not to do something they know they shouldn’t do in the first place? *sigh*
So my bloggy friends, I shall be busy cleaning and doing laundry for much of the day. But before I go, there are two other giveaways I forgot to mention in my post a day or two ago.
Meisha is giving away a random assortment of International candy. Not sure when it ends.
and
Kenna is giving away a Treading Water body and bath gift set. I think this one ends tonight.
Wow Summer, your house sounds a lot like mine! If J couldn’t play in the water in the sink, I think he’d go nuts. After all, elephants need their watering holes! LOL.
You were awesome to not lash out. I sruggle with that everyday.
LoL, wow. It’s nice when you have those moments of clear thought and you can avoid a blow-up. Oh, but it is sooooo hard sometimes. Ever since George turned 2 I’ve been working on controlling my temper, but when he’s messed something up that I had just got done cleaning, that pushes my buttons like few other things.
I hear you. This morning, I finally just said “go play. Who cares about cleaning today.” And I said it in that monotone voice. The kids screamed in delight. ~sigh~
How do we stop our kids from doing things they know they’re not supposed to do? Find something new for them to destroy. š Or lock all the doors. Okay, I don’t really have any solutions. Just know that you’re not alone. I think we all have the same children…
Way to go Summer for not blowing – it is hard sometimes – way to go!!! I’m doing lots of laundry today too, so your’e not alone. Take care and I loved the vision you gave of that sweet baby cooing and coming awake – sweet. See ya.
Wow, you are my hero. I’m pretty sure my brain would have started falling out my nose if that happened to me. I’m absolutely sure it will happen to me one day. That’s what these early years are for… hopefully I can use my first couple mommy years productively and work on my patience and if I can’t have patience then it’s all about REGROUPING, which you did fabulously this morning! Way to go.
I’ve been there girl. I am so proud of you. I remember BBB got his diaper off(he was 2) and spread his “waste” all over the crib, the walls, himself, the door etc. I was so proud of myself when I picked him up, stuck him in soapy water in our huge kitchen sink and managed to keep my temper. There were so many days I didn’t keep my temper. I did make sure McHub appriated the great restraint I had shown.
Donja just hate Mondays like that? Hugs.
I’d never heard of blogging as a parenting technique–next time I need a time out I know what to do š
Hang in there, I really don’t have any words of wisdom as I struggle with this thing constantly myself. Sigh.
I go through this whenever I try to sleep in. When I wake-up, I’m faced with chaos. However, I try to remember that they have to entertain themselves somehow while I’m sleeping. But couldn’t they just sit quietly and color or something?
Hope you didn’t have to spend the entire day cleaning up!
Wow, you are a better woman than I.
I am so proud of you. I would’ve flipped. Completely.
I think repeat offenses need repeat punishments. They need to -know- what’s going to happen, and they need to know it’s worse than the fun of doing what they shouldn’t. That’s all I got. I suck at discipline.