While I have generally enjoyed this summer with my kids (it would have been even better if I’d had less work and if the weather had had less rain), one thing that has been exhausting is the constant bickering. I realize it’s completely normal but normal doesn’t make something any less frustrating.
A great deal of my time is spent listening to stuff like this:
“I had that first!”
“No, I had it first!”
“No, I had it first!”
“No, I had it first!”
“No, I had it first!”
“No, I had it first!”
“No, I had it first!”
“MOMMY!”
At which point, I take whatever it is they both “had first” and put it away.
Other times I have listened to this:
“Stop hitting me!”
“Don’t spit on me!”
“Mommy, Breanna’s pulling my hair!”
“Mommy, Hayley frow this at me!”
“MOMMMMMMY!”
At which point I separate them until they calm the hell down.
And of course, I listen to this a lot:
THUMP!
CRASH!
BANG!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
SMASH!
And since the people downstairs also have to listen to it, I ask them, through clenched teeth, to please stop using the furniture as park equipment, and then if it’s not raining I take them outside to burn off some energy.
Then on occasion, I’ve heard this:
“Stop. Stop! STOP IT! Mommy! Breanna won’t stop smelling my bum!”
And really, I don’t even know what to do with that one.
I’m considering investing in a pair of high quality ear plugs.
Your post reminds me of how me and my sister used to be. We were pretty bad about playing on the furniture too. We would play amusement park and use the furniture and the cushions as part of a “ride”. It used to drive my mother bonkers.
[I’m considering investing in a pair of high quality ear plugs.]
Ironically that may be the best solution. I remember a television documentary. When mommy and daddy weren’t around the kids played nice. When a parent arrived on the scene … well, it wasn’t pretty. They later showed the playing (with and without parents) and the parents had a difficult time believing what they were observing. You could try to tell them to work it out as you are tired and see what happens. Of course if they go for the heavy artillery you must intervene.
Smelling her bum? All yours … or theirs … exit stage anywhere.