One of Those Days

So right now there are probably a dozen other things that I should be doing.  Not only that, but I had an entirely different post written that I intended to put up and then this morning I had a little snafu.  I don’t know what else to call it without making it seem way more important than it really is so snafu is what I settled on.

I mentioned a while ago that I was having problems getting Baby on the ice at skating but that I was using the “wisdom” that I’d learned from my experiences with Boy to get through them, or around them, and not completely stress myself out.  Well apparently I spoke WAY too soon.

The last couple of weeks I haven’t been able to get Baby to do anything.  And I do mean anything.  I can’t get her to skate, to do gymnastics, to listen at home, to keep her clothes on… nothing.  She’s started having temper tantrums more and more frequently, she’s always been the most strong-willed of the kids even if she’s usually more subtle about exerting her will, and she’s suddenly prone to massive meltdowns when she doesn’t get her way.  Then she’ll have long, drawn-out pouting sessions after the fact.

It’s driving me crazy because I can’t figure out what to do about it.

I’ve tried everything that usually works with the other kids.  I’ve tried doing research on parenting advice and techniques on websites, blogs, and in books.  I’ve talked to friends with kids and to family. 

And I’m tapped out. 

I don’t know what to do anymore and this morning it has finally just gotten to me.  In the last 7 years I don’t think that I’ve ever come to the point where I really just don’t know what to do next.  It’s hard enough to be raising three kids, essentially alone for 2/3 of the year, but today it just seems impossible.  I hate feeling like I’m doing something wrong, or that I’m failing with them, and that’s how it feels.  I hate that I get frustrated because of Baby’s behavior and then snap at all three when they’re just being kids.  It’s not fair to Princess and Boy that they’re taking some of the brunt because of Baby’s actions and it’s not fair to Baby that I can’t figure out what to do to reach her.

And it is selfish of me to think that it’s not fair to me that I’m dealing with this alone?  I can talk to the Husband about it but he’s not here so there really isn’t anything that he can do to help.  And he doesn’t seem to have any ideas of what to do either.

So remember how I’ve said that being a parent isn’t always easy, or fun and that sometimes, some days, it really just sucks?

Today is one of those days.