Today has been one of those days. "Laid Back Parent"? Like Hell.
DD1 has been a right little madam today, to put it incredibly nicely. She wouldn't eat her breakfast nicely, or stay still, and dripped weetabix everywhere. She wouldn't get dressed, and made it impossible for me to dress her. She did keep shouting, screaming, tantrumming when she doesn't get her own way. Of course, this morning I had a doctor's appointment, that we were already nearly late for, so we had to get moving. As 'punishment' we usually either do time out by the front door, or I will restrain her. As she started headbutting and hitting me, it was the latter. Of course, holding her still (with her fighting me every step of the way) for 3min at a time was just making us later and later and she still wasn't dressed. Yes, I did have to do that more than once. I was even talking to myself (in my head) about how I would never have got away with this when I was little. We were smacked, and it's not something I want to do to my children, and we were scared (or at least I was) so we behaved through fear. Of course, when my mind slipped, I lost control and am ashamed to say I gave DD1 a tap across her legs. What a waste of time that was - I got more upset at myself, and she just laughed at me. It wasn't painful, didn't teach her a thing, but I just lost control. Stupid me.
Eventually I did manage to get her dressed, and said that because she has been naughty, she would have to be tied in the pushchair. The thought of dragging her, in this mood, for a mile to the doctor's when I was already late was too much. So, I put the wrap around me, and DD1 decided she wanted to be in the pushchair, so she tied herself in, happily. I put DD2 in the wrap, put on my big coat, to find out that it was pi$$ing it down outside. So, DD1 was dry and being pushed along, and me and DD2 were getting wet and I walked as fast as I could to make our 11am appt. And that's when I found out that my umbrella is no longer in the change bag, and I've no idea where it is.
We made it to the doctor's 5min late, so I said my name and that I had an appt at 11. Meanwhile, DD1 has decided she's not naughty, wants to get out of the pushchair, and is screaming the place down. I'm doing my best "I'm ignoring you" stance, but feel that I'm failing. So, I'm already not in the best of moods when I get told that I don't have an appointment. I say "yes I do, it's with the asthma nurse." She booked it when I was in the previous appt, and wrote it down for me; but I'm not on the system anywhere, and there isn't another asthma clinic for ages. I asked if I could be squeezed in (I felt like I would cry), and rummaged through my handbag. Good thing I don't tidy my bag out much - I still had the piece of paper with her writing on it! So I handed it over, and the receptionist went in to see her (she was already in an appt). I don't know what was said, but they said they would squeeze me in.
I sat down, and waitied my turn. I let DD1 out of the pushchair (she ran straight into the wendy house) and I took DD2 out of the wrap and put her into the pram - she fell asleep almost immediately. Luckily DD1 was fairly well behaved whilst at the doctors. It turns out I do have asthma, so have been prescribed a preventative inhaler to take twice a day. The nurse was very apologetic about the mix up with the appt - she remembers making it for me - and said I need to return in a month's time, but to make the appt with front desk, in case the same mistake happens again. So back out the front, but I can't make an appt because, according to the system, she's not working in a month's time. Best advice is to wait a week and phone back to try again. And to top it off, DD1 is starting to play up again and refusing to put her coat on. It is still raining, and I need to cross the road to get my new inhaler from the chemists, so I suffer the looks of other people for 'allowing' my three year old to go out in the pouring rain without her coat on. Before I left the doctor's I tried to forcibly put the coat on her, but she was throwing herself around in such a way, that it was really dangerous.
In the chemists, she decided that she was hungry and so was going to scream and scream. That's when I perfected my ignoring. I did manage to get her coat on her, though, so I felt better about that. We then had the walk home. Sometimes, if DD1 has been good, I will buy "naughty lunch" aka a KFC. We don't have chips at home (no deepfat fryer, and I'm scared of a chip pan), so only have them when visiting family, or being naughty. KFC is the only fastfood chain (that I know of) that doesn't salt its chips. Although it is not something to have every day, young children do need a high fat diet so the occasional portion of chips isn't that bad. And because I never buy DD1 her own meal (I buy myself something, and she shares that) it's not as bad as it could be. Anyway, KFC is practically next to the chemists, and DD1 decided that she wanted it. I walked off, and DD1 eventually ran after me, when she realised I wasn't going to give in. More sobbing and tantrumming on the way home, but gradually reducing. I think the walk home in the rain calmed her down a bit.
At home, she still said she was hungry, so I gave her an apple and a raw carrot. DD2 hadn't been fed since before we left for the doctor's and was now awake again, so I had to feed her, before I could think of doing anything for lunch, as it was now 1pm. I am an emotional eater, I know it, but I'm too stupid to do anything about it. I ordered in a pizza for lunch (with over half saved for dinner too). DD1 shared the sides with me, but it's not good for me trying to lose weight.
Eating did calm DD1 down, though, and this afternoon we played Monopoly Junior again. This was a much longer game, and we had to stop so I could feed DD2 again. Despite a fantastic comeback (at one point, I only had £3 left), DD1 won again (!) with £55 against £35. They are both now asleep, as I should be too, because I am knackered.
Goodbye,
LBP
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