Mornings are tough. I usually get five or six hours of sleep. I wake up tired, cranky, and in a bad mood. I'm hungry, too. Plus, my son is REALLY, REALLY poopy when he rises.
But does he want his smelly, stinky diaper removed? No! He avoids getting changed at all cost.
Eventually we get it done (not before he fusses and protests and fights me over the diaper change).
Next, it's time to get dressed. But he wants to play the chasing game. I don't play the chasing game. So I ignore him. And he ignores me.
Eventually I leave the room and go downstairs. Then he plays the crying game. That's when I ask him from the bottom of the stairs (we have a baby gate), "Are you ready to get your clothes on?" "Ya, ya, ya," he sniffs.
By this time my stomach is growling so loud it wakes the neighbors. And I need some caffeine!
Getting dressed becomes one more battle, like trying to put clothes on a swinging monkey in a tree... but we muster through (or I leave the room).
This has become the protocol (I've tried it every which way, believe me!). And the deal is this: no videos, no breakfast (what he wants first thing in the morning) until we change the diaper and get his clothes on.
And because my son is three, he is in the "sensitive period for order," so the more we follow the same "order," the easier it gets, and the more he complies.
*****
Lately, he's been getting up REALLY EARLY at 6 AM. But I'm not ready to start the day!
I have learned to tell myself, this too will pass, this is impermanent: it's my new mantra I got from that spiritual guy who wears the sparkly red glasses on PBS (Depak Chopra) .
At 6:30 I give in and go to his room. Still too tired to start our orderly morning routine, I grab a pillow and a blanket and lay on the floor.
At first, he'd climb all over me like a seal on a rock, pull at my hair, my blanket... But now he gets it! He's not ready to start his day, either (the diaper battle, the getting dressed chasing crying game...) so we end up snuggling for about twenty minutes.
Snuggling each morning is a new addition to our morning gig!
And on the weekends, when dad is home from work, we all make a snuggle sandwich. (After a diaper change, usually!)
And I must confess, I like it (it puts me in a better mood)!
But there are days I wish he were 13 instead of 3 (no more diapers and he can dress himself and make his own breakfast and get his own vidoes). But I know when he turns 13, I'll wish he were 3 and we could start our day with a snuggle sandwich!
For now, I better enjoy every (stinky) minute of it!
But does he want his smelly, stinky diaper removed? No! He avoids getting changed at all cost.
Eventually we get it done (not before he fusses and protests and fights me over the diaper change).
Next, it's time to get dressed. But he wants to play the chasing game. I don't play the chasing game. So I ignore him. And he ignores me.
Eventually I leave the room and go downstairs. Then he plays the crying game. That's when I ask him from the bottom of the stairs (we have a baby gate), "Are you ready to get your clothes on?" "Ya, ya, ya," he sniffs.
By this time my stomach is growling so loud it wakes the neighbors. And I need some caffeine!
Getting dressed becomes one more battle, like trying to put clothes on a swinging monkey in a tree... but we muster through (or I leave the room).
This has become the protocol (I've tried it every which way, believe me!). And the deal is this: no videos, no breakfast (what he wants first thing in the morning) until we change the diaper and get his clothes on.
And because my son is three, he is in the "sensitive period for order," so the more we follow the same "order," the easier it gets, and the more he complies.
*****
Lately, he's been getting up REALLY EARLY at 6 AM. But I'm not ready to start the day!
I have learned to tell myself, this too will pass, this is impermanent: it's my new mantra I got from that spiritual guy who wears the sparkly red glasses on PBS (Depak Chopra) .
At 6:30 I give in and go to his room. Still too tired to start our orderly morning routine, I grab a pillow and a blanket and lay on the floor.
At first, he'd climb all over me like a seal on a rock, pull at my hair, my blanket... But now he gets it! He's not ready to start his day, either (the diaper battle, the getting dressed chasing crying game...) so we end up snuggling for about twenty minutes.
Snuggling each morning is a new addition to our morning gig!
And on the weekends, when dad is home from work, we all make a snuggle sandwich. (After a diaper change, usually!)
And I must confess, I like it (it puts me in a better mood)!
But there are days I wish he were 13 instead of 3 (no more diapers and he can dress himself and make his own breakfast and get his own vidoes). But I know when he turns 13, I'll wish he were 3 and we could start our day with a snuggle sandwich!
For now, I better enjoy every (stinky) minute of it!
How do you start your family day? Make a comment!
2 comments:
How do we start our family day? I'm usually to tired to remember right away the exact feeling or if not, I woke up at 4:30 AM (when Felipe usually wakes up) and couldn't go back to sleep because my head started working against my will.
I'm a Montessori mom and teacher.
Felipe is our 2 year old boy and what a boy! Full of energy, early waker, talkative and sweet as honey.
Every morning once he is awake he gives us the morning call: Dad, where are u? and by that moment, my hubbie is right at the door: "here I go"
Our marital good morning is past and then Felipe comes to our bed with his milk and his blanket. This is how we start our day every morning.
Afterward we play airplanes, cars or whatever it comes to his mind. By now, here in Costa Rica there are beetles everywhere, so he walks around the house with a jar and a shovel to catch them and take them out to the garden. Like a super scientist he looks for the flashlight everytime he finds something small crawling around the house. He takes all insects out and about and observes how the hide away during the day.
Then we start the fight for getting a bath and going to school.
Love your blog
Laura
Laura, you should turn your comment (on how your start your morning with Felipe) into a children's story! It is lovely and sweet and visual and unique! I loved reading it! Seriously! Submit it as a children's picture book! (Thanks for your comment!)
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