My Little Picasso's

My Little Picasso's

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

10, 9, 8, 7 3/4, 7 1/2, 7 1/3, 7 1/4, 7, 6 7/8 ...

I was/am a middle school teacher.  I once had a student tell me as I reached a magnificent frustration level with my class that I should count backwards from 10 to calm myself down.  That is what her therapist told her to do for her anger management and ODD.

I find myself counting from 10 a lot these days with Max.

I know, I know ... he's 2 1/2.  Terrible twos, right.  My mother says it is payback.  (Mum, I have told you sorry too many times to count.)

Some of the things he does or gets into are just outright funny.  Exhibit A:


Some things are not funny but extremely frustrating.

Max will not go down for a nap and in the process of staying awake will often wake his brother up.  We have our routines with the boys; Charlie 1st, Max 2nd.  Max must set everything up in Charlie's room(nightlight, music, humidifier, change diaper, etc.) and if something is done wrong or in the wrong order(according to him) or in the wrong place he stamps and whines and squeals and kicks and rolls on the floor and has to start all over again and sheesh.  Then it is his turn.  I gate him in his room.  Did I tell you that?  Well, I do.  He has to put the gate on - wall scratches and dry wall chips - and then we have to tie it shut so he doesn't pull it open.  Change his pants ... always a struggle.  Books - choose a book, no two books.  This ends up being 6 or 7 by the time he lets me leave without throwing himself over the gate or through the floor.  He hardly ever listens to the stories.  He is building tents with his blanket, crawling between his bed and the wall, trying to read a book I already finished, catapulting off the end. When we leave him he must have in bed no less then:
one caterpillar
one dog
one monkey
one talking house toy
one Jingle dog
one quilt
one whale blanket
one turtle blanket
one dog blanket
one Thomas train
one Percy train
one Dance Star Mickey Mouse
and all the books we had to read to him to get him in bed.
Everything ends up on the floor by the time he falls asleep which could be 20 minutes later or two hours later.  He usually also messes his room about before he finally crawls into bed,covers himself up with one blanket, and falls asleep.  Lately, Mickey has not been kicked out of the bed ... lucky mouse.

Sometimes we have to just leave him in a raging, screaming, tear-falling, red-faced hysteria.  He will pull at the gate, kick at the door, hit the wall, throw books out of the room, etc.  He'll start to stop and start again.  In these circumstances, he'll end up wearing himself out and putting himself in bed.

I have to keep beach toys in the car to get him to sit in his seat.  He can only play with the beach toys if he is in his seat.  This is how I get him in his seat.  Bribery - bad mummy.

No, Max, do not hit the dog.

No, Max, do not hit your brother.

Max do not use wipes on the plasma TV.

Max, the toilet is not a sink.

Max, please don't ...

Max, NO

Max, do you need time out?


I am reminding myself as I type this that he is only 2 1/2.  I know he could be much worse.  So many random people tell me how pleasant and well-behaved my two boys are.  I am so embarrassingly grateful because I know how he can behave.  Even Charlie has tiny tantrums every once in a while.

I do not want to resort to spanking.  I WILL NOT.  Time outs are starting not to work.

I know most of it is because it is me and he is always with me.  Michael finally saw some of his son's true colors in church the other day.  See ... I'm not kidding when I tell you how he is.  

I'm just running out of ideas and patience.

April 24th, 2012





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