Every SINGLE day!
Aiden and I are having more and more daily power struggles and it is flat wearing me out. I never knew a 2 year old could be so smart and manipulative. He now "pretends" to not understand what you are telling him and gives you this oh so precious look of "I'm sorry mommy I really wish I knew what you were saying so I could obey but I don't..." then all the sudden when I stand up and put on my "you are about to get it" face. The light turns on and aiden knows EXACTLY what I've been asking him to do and he can't run fast enough to complete whatever instruction I have given him.
MAJOR power struggle in our house is bedtime and naptime. He's too big to be in a crib, he refuses to stay in beds he can get out of. Part of me thinks he is ready for a BIG bed and not a toddler bed. Part of me thinks I should take ALL the toys out of his room so when he gets out of his bed it will be boring and nothing to do. But ALL of me thinks that if this keeps going much longer I WILL go insane! It is making me majorly stress about going on vacations or going to stay with people, etc. Naptime today...I tried to put him back in his pajamas, we read a book, we talked about night night and how when he woke up from nap we'd do something fun. Now you're gonna be a good boy and make mommy proud and stay in your bed right?? RIGHT. Kisses and hugs and prayers and I put my oh so sweet boy down for nap AND....10 minutes later...
And in this picture this is what he is saying to me...he's smart, he knows he is in trouble, he knows he's been caught so he is holding up some random bag that he found at the BACK of his closet and saying "here mommy I found it, here ya go mommy, found it!" Like he did some awesome favor of finding my missing bag?!?! Nice try little one! Which brings me to my next point...remember back when I was wanting him to talk more and all proud of all the words he could say?? I take it back!!! Who taught him to talk? What was so wrong with the not talking? NOW his manipulation is oh so much better. For instance when he doesn't want to go to bed he does a halfhearted little cry and says "food mommy please" "milk cup please" "kisses mommy" and "prayers" even though we've already said ALL of our prayers, he just got done eating and drinking but still...I'll hand this to him also, that's a good try! Saying you want more food, more kisses, to say more prayers??? A+++ my little man!
And I am especially exhausted this week because we just started swim lessons. I was sure aiden was ready. I was sure he was gonna love it. I was sure it was gonna be great AND....I was wrong! He hates it. We hate it. We go every single afternoon and we hate it a little bit more every day. Aiden is stubborn as all get out, will not do what he is asked in the pool, does not enjoy even being in the pool with the instructor and other kids. It's all kinds of awful. I left the first day and cried all the way home. No joke. The 2nd day ben was off so I made him come with me, I though aiden might do better with dad. No such luck. The 3rd day (today) was just as awful but I was able to laugh it off more. It's awful. Apparently it's going to be 2 weeks of a daily beating but it is what it is...
And last but not least I'd like to send a big "I'M SORRY" to my mother for all the many many meals she made that I refused to eat because it wasn't what I wanted. That is super annoying and exhausting and brings me back to my why did we teach aiden to talk again??? He never wants what I fix for him. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No matter what I make, he has something else in mind. I fix him french toast, he wants cheerio's, I fix him a sandwich, he wants spaghetti, I fix him chicken, he wants hot dog. I give him milk, he wants a juice box and so on and on and ON... And he can actually say all these words now so it is doubly hard to ignore his requests when you know what's he asking for!! So I will leave this post with this little video which I took after naptime today and for lunchtime. This is a completely scheduled video...I took it knowing full well that it would prove my point because this is EVERY single meal. Normally I put his food and drink down and walk away. He continues to ask for different things but he gives up on manipulating me much faster when I'm in another room and resigns himself to eating whatever I have given him....for the purpose of the video though, I stood where I was so everyone could get a good look at what we're dealing with.
Does it sound like I'm complaining?? I'm really not. I love my every day with aiden but some days are more stressful than others and I think this next year with my very independent, smart, and stubborn little boy is going to leave me feeling exhausted!!!
8 comments:
Ahhh... I forget about this kind of tired until I am around toddlers again.. It is a HARD time! Love ya girl..
that's pretty cute stuff.
He said please. Get that boy some cheerios! That stuff never happens when I have him...Im not saying...Im just saying.
Okay, now that I am done laughing at how cute he is, Pick your battles wisely. As much as I was laughing once he started with the "please and thank you", he will eat whatever you put in front of him if he is hungry. I too forgot about how hard it is with a toddler until you shared the video. Put what you fixed in front of him and walk away or keep busy in that room and ignore him, he will get the message eventually. Although I do have to say he is very good and trying to manipulate you. You still are raising a beautiful child, and I can see how it is hard not to give in.
love you
ok, was it juice or milk--you told him it was both!!! the silent please got to me. I probably would have given in at that point.
I love other peoples smart, cute, stubborn children!!
you are doing a great job. just hang in there. I have seen Aiden eat and he likes nearly anything you give him if he is hungry.
don't worry about Padre, he will have plenty of people to help. sounds as if eating meals while there should be Jarod's job.
It WAS juice. He wanted milk so I tried to convince him it was milk but when I realized he was not fooled I switched to just flat out saying no we're not having milk, we're having juice. He keeps asking for milk though and then towards the end water...It's all about control. He will want whatever is NOT in the cup already.
I have to agree with Jarod. Give the kid his cheerios.
I can't believe you ended up with a strong willed child. How did that happen?
Okay, I just had to watch it again.... the please and thank you just cracks me up.....thanks for making my day :) I hope things get better soon.
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