Day Six: Mommy meltdown

I finally lost it and threw a great big Mommy tantrum today.

It started out innocently enough. We all got up, had breakfast and got ready with little trouble. Little I. seemed a bit sleepy, but no biggie.

The minute we got to my friend D.'s place, I knew things weren't going to go well. I. was in one heck of a mood. Whining, tattling and getting into toy squabbles. This isn't Mr. Happy's usual behaviours.

Finally, after lunch, he threw a full out tantrum.

I have a rule about tantrums: throwing one is a one-way ticket home, departing NOW. I calmly yet firmly packed up the kids and headed home. He tantrumed all the way home and for 20 minutes once we got in. We managed to patch things up, and he settled down to a video with his big brother.

It was around 2 o'clock that I realized I was completely exhausted by that and the restless night Baby N. had yesterday.

I managed to get supper on the table on time (bless the CrockPot), but the evening was a wreck. There was just so much to do, and I had no energy or patience. Added to that, Baby N. is teething and the boys were taking advantage of my exhaustion and acting up. I was at the end of my rope.

Finally, when they were trying to get out of cleaning up their toys, I lost it and screamed at them. I even threw a book across the room in frustration (the book was NOT aimed at them. No calls to child protection, please.) Then I locked myself in the bathroom and had a good cry for a few minutes.

There was a knock at the door. "Mommy, why are you crying?" It was A.

"Because I yelled and screamed at you instead of being calm. I'm sorry."

"We forgive you Mommy. We're sorry we didn't listen."

Little I. pipes up: "I'm sowwy I wan away and wouldn't cwean, Mommy."

I unlocked the door. Two brush-cut blonds in Superman pjs wrapped their little arms around me.

The rest of the night went fairly well. All the children were asleep by nine!

I wish I was asleep right now, but after they went to bed there were dishes to do, a dishwasher to start, clothes to put in the washer and the dryer, and laundry to be folded and sorted. I just finished all that, so now I'm off to bed too.

"Tomorrow is another day, Miss Scarlet."