It's been a trying week. My six-year-old has been extra clingy and demanding lately, and as much as I love him, it has been exhausting. He's at that stage where he still needs lots of attention and stimulation, but his energy levels are THROUGH THE ROOF. Keeping him occupied and happy has been a challenge, especially since I'm pregnant and feeling more tired than usual.
Yesterday was especially trying. We had a couple of meltdowns over tiny things like not getting the exact colored pencil he wanted or forgetting to buy his favorite flavor of ice cream. It felt like every five minutes there was a new crisis, and it left me feeling frazzled and at the end of my rope.
To make matters worse, my usual go-to's for distracting him or helping him calm down weren't working. He didn't want to draw, play outside, watch his favorite shows, or even eat cookies - the boy was a hurricane of emotion! As soon as I'd get one crisis under control, another would pop up. It felt like I was constantly putting out fires, and the sheer unpredictability of it all had me on edge.
I know this is a phase, and intellectually, I understand his big feelings are a normal part of his emotional development. But man, it's draining! I'm just counting down the days until his emotions even out a little, and he gains some semblance of reasoning skills. Parenting is a workout in patience, that's for sure!
On a brighter note, my husband has been a real trooper, doing his best to help me keep my cool and support me when I feel at my wit's end. We're a great team like that. We can share a look across the room and just know we're thinking the same thing. "This too shall pass," became our mantra yesterday, said through gritted teeth and exhaustion.
So, that's my vent for the day. How about you? What's been getting to you recently?