I want a do-over!

[FlockOfSillies]

Can I just do this year over?

 

This year has been so crummy. I posted a bit on the Accelerated Board, but it's really only one small piece of the puzzle.

 

This toddler is going to be the death of me. We put in more cabinet latches than we had with the first three kids; she's figured them out already. :thumbdown: My pocket door that blocks off the kitchen is broken. Where's the "spilling an entire box of Cheerios" smiley? Oh, and did I mention that she's in the process of dropping a nap, so she takes an evening nap and then stays awake until all hours? :banghead:

 

I've hired a mother's helper, but it seems like I might be needing him there for a lot more hours than I'd originally planned, and at $8/hr. (CA min. wage), it's turning into a very expensive proposition. But I don't know how I can get school done otherwise.

 

And just think, next year, I'll have TWO toddlers. :smash::smash:

 

And I'm sick of schlepping everyone everywhere and dropping everyone off at Grandma's. I'm sick of getting dinner through my driver's side window this often. I'm so glad that baseball and scouts are winding down. If TBOM would just learn how to say his R's, I could drop speech therapy.

 

So now, we're cramming in as much schoolwork as we can before the end of the year, to make up for all the stuff that keeps falling off our plates. I love homeschooling, but right now I really hate it.

[Peek a Boo]

we were just watching Mr. Destiny the other day, lol!

so...what'll ya have? ;)

 

sorry -- no real advice tonight [this morning?!!] just snark.

 

but good luck anyway!!

[Peek a Boo]

just to keep things in perspective and count blessings---

 

We put in more cabinet latches than we had with the first three kids; she's figured them out already. :thumbdown:

 

thumbs up!!! at least her hands and fingers work Very Well. many parents would love for their toddlers to be able to move their hands and fingers like that. i was watching a boy in a wheelchair at storytime today as his caregiver helped him hold a crayon to color.

 

My pocket door that blocks off the kitchen is broken.

 

You have a kitchen! yay!!

 

Where's the "spilling an entire box of Cheerios" smiley?

 

it's on the opposite end of the list from the "no wheat products please" smilie.

I read about the food allergies so many kids have and wonder how I would ever be able to keep up!

 

Oh, and did I mention that she's in the process of dropping a nap, so she takes an evening nap and then stays awake until all hours? :banghead:

 

we're here too.:banghead:

i gotta think rilly rilly hard to come up w/ a positive here.

ok-- at least she's CAPABLE of staying awake? beats narcolepsy?

 

I've hired a mother's helper, but it seems like I might be needing him there for a lot more hours than I'd originally planned, and at $8/hr. (CA min. wage), it's turning into a very expensive proposition.

 

at least you are in a position where you can even CONSIDER hiring a mother's helper! that's a HUGE plus! :)

 

 

And just think, next year, I'll have TWO toddlers.

DOUBLE the blessings!

:grouphug:

 

And I'm sick of schlepping everyone everywhere and dropping everyone off at Grandma's. I'm sick of getting dinner through my driver's side window this often.

 

beats having one car that you can't use cuz spouse is using it to get to work, right?

 

 

I'm so glad that baseball

 

aha!! a kid healthy and strong enough to play?!

 

 

 

and scouts are winding down. If TBOM would just learn how to say his R's, I could drop speech therapy.

 

only one major obstacle to overcome here? and he's already receiving therapy for it? good mom!

 

 

So now, we're cramming in as much schoolwork as we can before the end of the year, to make up for all the stuff that keeps falling off our plates.

 

so you've Got a Plan! excellent!!!

 

 

ok, there. I've done my best. hope your next year is better :)

 

:grouphug:

:grouphug:

[budeb]

I'm sorry... Summer break IS coming.

 

Deb

[runninmommy]

Oh, I am so sorry you are dealing with this. My youngest was just like your little one. When he was 2-5 I felt like I wanted to run away. He still has a very strong personality at 6 but it is so much easier to deal with.

 

Peek has a good idea. Counting blessings helps.

 

With mine, I had to think outside the box a lot. I just tried to keep him busy. Some things I did with him when I had to get things done:

 

Put shaving cream in the bathtub and let him have at it. Add food coloring if your feeling brave.

 

Get a water/sand table and fill it up with something interesting each week. Like rice, beans, cereal (your little one already likes playing with cereal right? :D), counting bears etc. I colored the rice with a variety of bright colors to make it appealing.

 

Set up the kitchen sink with measuring cups/eye droppers/bubble wands etc.. Fill up the sink and put tons of bubbles in.

 

Get a cheap shower curtain, lay down on the kitchen floor (or other surface that is easy to clean) and let him body paint with pudding. (Yes, I'm serious :lol:)

 

Get some of those giant cardboard bricks so the child can build things and knock them down..over and over again.

 

Home-made playdough with cookie cutters, and any fun kitchen items you have. Meat tenderizers & potato mashers are always fun.

 

Well, that's how I survived anyway. One busy activity after another. It won't last forever. I hope this phase goes by quickly for you.

 

Now I have Darius Ruckers song "It won't be like this for long" stuck in my head. Google it. It may make you feel better. It makes me cry every time!

 

Oh! One more thing, Looking back, I wish wish wish I would have cut down on the other kids activities. I would have minimized them as much as I could. It would have made things so much easier. Not all of them mind you, but cutting back would have been a very good thing.

Edited May 14, 2009 by runninmommy

[MamaT]

Looking back from where I am (bigger kids), just know that this will pass. I had 3 children 2yo and younger one school year while trying to school first, sixth, and eighth graders. Just do the best you can and know that one day you will look back and have lots of things to laugh about.

 

I also had a mother's helper when I had three that young. Be thankful that you can afford the help.

 

Also - summer IS coming!

[Blueridge]

just to keep things in perspective and count blessings--

 

 

That was GREAT Peek a Boo! Thanks for the positive motivation! :)

Ginger

[FlockOfSillies]

It's OK. I can both give and receive snark. :-) I haven't seen Mr. Destiny, so I'll just let that float over my head.

[LisaKinVA]

Brenda -- I really feel like you and I are almost LITERALLY in the same place this year (oh, and our children are pretty close age-wise, if that helps).

 

On the positive side, at least my 2.5 yo toddler has not learned how to open the door locks, and she isn't climbing to get the magnet for the cabinet locks... However, if someone forgets to close the bathroom door I lose roll after roll of toilet paper... and find strange concoctions which use toothpaste smeared all around:glare:

 

We cut out a lot of activities. We just have swimming now. Piano is done at our home. I just can't do everything. I have good weeks cooking-wise and bad weeks. Thankful for grilling weather!

 

Even still, I feel incredibly behind (although, in reality, it's not as bad as I feel it is), and I know what has to be done to correct it. But, it's not going to be easy... I expect a summer filled with complaints about how much writing there is, but it's the only way I know to really work on the issues he's struggling with.

 

Join me for a drink, a good night's sleep... and permission to take a year slowly (I'm thinking about dropping Spanish from our schedule next year). LegoManiac is supposed to start CD Pre-Algebra next year -- but I'm backing up to Basic Math (if he speeds through it, fine... but I feel like he needs the review). And, I'm taking a facts-based approach this summer and fall for dd7 and ds5 (that and real-life math).

 

I'm dropping "formal" math from their schedule until after Christmas... they do have ALEKS.

 

We, as a family, simply need to concentrate on LA for a little while. Reading and Writing/Composition.

 

:grouphug:You aren't alone...not in the least.

[FlockOfSillies]

On the positive side, at least my 2.5 yo toddler has not learned how to open the door locks, and she isn't climbing to get the magnet for the cabinet locks... However, if someone forgets to close the bathroom door I lose roll after roll of toilet paper... and find strange concoctions which use toothpaste smeared all around:glare:

 

Ah, yes, the toilet. Mine likes to take the toilet paper and play with it in the toilet. Like yesterday, when I picked her up to put her in the car to go to the Flea's baseball practice, and I found her soaking wet in front of the toilet. :cursing: Only her cuteness keeps her alive.

 

I can't put her in the playpen; she climbs out. I have to put her into the crib with her shoes on, or she'll climb out.

[NancyNellen]

Get thee a crib tent, Brenda! It saved me with my 2 year old. He plays in there every morning for 45 minutes and then naps peacefully in it and can't get out!! It brought some sanity back into my world.

 

Also, fewer activities might help w/ the overwhelmed feeling. We've just had to say "no" to some things around here in the past year for the sake of sanity.

 

HTH,

[2greatkids]

You've gotten some great advice and ideas, I'll just say, what you already know... :D It'll get better.

[FlockOfSillies]

A crib tent -- is that one of those arch thingies that covers the crib? I might try that for My Guy; we're moving him into the crib soon, which means C.W. is getting booted to the lower bunk in TBOM's room. There's a fun project! :-P

 

I've done what I can in getting the grandparents to help take dc to practices or games when I've really needed it. Dh keeps suggesting that I get chummy with another soccer or baseball mom and trade carpooling trips, but that's easier said than done.

 

Normally I'm exceptionally good about being the cold, cruel, heartless mom who does what must be done. But this has been one area where I've given in to the begging. Dh wants us to continue doing both scouts and one sport, at least for now. So I'm stuck.

[Erica in PA]

I'm sorry, Brenda, that does sound very frustrating!! You have had so much going on, and I can imagine how difficult it would be trying to homeschool with such an active toddler! And since you are this stressed out, your kids probably aren't doing much better-- maybe you could all use a break. If it were me, I would probably try to bring this school year to an end asap, and spend the summer relaxing, enjoying each other, and working a bit on "civilizing" that toddler. ;) Then start up again in the fall with renewed energy and focus. I would think that I could get so much more done then, than I could in the next month with everyone frazzled and tired, and missing out on the summer.

 

Your kids are so young... 9 is still little!! I personally wouldn't sweat it if she doesn't finish all of a particular book this year. She can pick it up in the fall, or do it gradually over the summer, but it doesn't have to be done in the next month.

 

One of the great things about homeschooling is that you can be flexible based on your family's needs. I was planning on schooling through the end of May-- I decided to switch our last day to today! My kids didn't finish all of their books, but I know that they learned a lot this year in various ways, and we are all ready for a break now. Muddling through another two weeks isn't going to make them any better educated or more prepared for next year.

 

So there's my laidback, type B response to your situation. :001_smile: I hope you decide on a path that works well for your family!!

[Janice in NJ]

Brenda,

 

Sending HUGS!!!!!

Baby steps! Just find something good to do everyday. Drop by drop the bucket fills and all that. Nothing ever worked according to plan with babies bouncing around - except ME! I worked a lot! Just didn't see a lot of progress. A ton of me-on-the-inside stuff was happening though; I was becoming a mother. Painful stuff! Tons of self-assessment! Tons of "I can't do this" coupled with "How will I ever!!????!!!" paired up with "I had no idea that it was going to be like this." I had plans. I had goals. I had visions of grandeur. Then I HAD kids.

 

I learned to function with a renewed set of hope every morning. Even though that hope was a limp, floppy nothing by mid-morning almost every single day!

 

Smile.

Laugh.

Chin-up and all!

Celebrate baby-steps of progress.

And enjoy carving out the "real you!" The momma who lives here; not the momma in your imagination. She is a living organism; she deserves to grow without too much criticism for every misstep!

 

PEACE!

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey