Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Graffiti For The Soul.

I had a bad day today. This happens more frequently than I would like. I had big plans to keep the kids engaged, happy, creatively entertained. Painting pottery, sensory table activities, helping me with chores (they are still at the age where this is 'fun'.)

Then, they turned on me. Ambushed me. Things went from calm and happy to mutinous in a heartbeat. The trigger (a simple request: clean your play area, then we will start painting) was pulled, the stage was set. They caught each others' eyes, a signal passed between them, war was declared. The following three hours left me cowering in fear, rocking in the foetal position, completely and utterly beaten. The Dad was called home from work, 'discipline' was dished out, toys confiscated ('thrown in the bin'), privileges withdrawn. All this was met with indifference, approval even. ("That's ok, Mum, some other little girl can HAVE my toys. I don't mind.")

The pre-schoolers won. They always win.

Parenting books lie. They say that children are not our enemy, they do not misbehave to 'get at us'. That they are not manipulative. They lie. My children are experts in the arts of war. They know when to fight, when to submit, when to cry, when to yell. They know my weaknesses, have studied them intensively over their short lives, know how to use them to their advantage. All my tactics are rendered useless in the face of this seemingly innocent army, this grubby faced, determined opponent.

My children may not be my enemy. But they sure as hell act like it.

Blogging is like graffiti for the soul, an act of rebellion and selfishness in the daily grind of parenting. Your home may be peaceful and calm, it may be a den of conflicting strong personalities like mine. Whatever it is, step inside my bubble and either commiserate wholeheartedly with me or marvel at how one mother could continually get it so, so wrong.

3 comments:

  1. First of all you have newborn. Enough said really. Second you wrote this on the bad day. And thirdly it says you wrote this at 5am! All of this has happened to me many many times.........I don't think there is days like this rather than moments of this in every day. Love being able to read about your life again :) inspiring me to blog ;)

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  2. Please do start blogging Chel!! We can inspire/commiserate with each other via the blogging world!
    I didn't write it at 5am, I wrote it last night at about 10 after a few drinks.... it was a bad day but every day is a new one!
    The newborn is the least of my troubles, he is a good boy :)

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  3. hi nicole, glad your blogging again. love the way you write! congrats on your beautiful baby boy xo

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