The kids do really well sharing a room about 93% of the time. And Katy sleeps really well about 94% of the time. See any correlation? I don't know what to do with this girl. It's PROBABLY just teething (again) and she'll PROBABLY stop doing it when she's not teething anymore, but the last two weeks at least 3 times she's been up anywhere from 4:30 (today) to 5:30 and there's nothing I can do about it. If she was in her own room I would cuddle her for a few minutes and make sure there wasn't anything wrong with her and then put her back to bed. Yes, she would probably cry and fuss for quite a while the first time or two (because she doesn't WANT to go to bed) but then she would figure out that just because she wakes up for some reason doesn't mean it's actually time to GET UP. Instead, if it's anywhere close to 6 am, I know if I let her cry, she'll wake up the other two, and they won't go back to sleep. So I just have to stay up with her and finally put her back down when they get up for the day. I shouldn't complain, because usually if it's been really early I can trust the other two to watch a movie while I go back to sleep too, but it gets a little old. If she's really in pain, I don't mind staying up with her for a while, but I know I could put her back down even after 45 minutes to an hour and she probably would, but she would complain about it first. And if that woke them up at 5:30 or 6, they wouldn't be able to go back to sleep (and they don't take naps,) so they would just be tired and cranky. Did I mention that DST starts this weekend and soon they'll all be "normally" getting up at 5:45 to 6 anyway? Blah.
While we're complaining about my oh-so-hard life, (this is sarcastic, don't worry - I really enjoy most of my life, especially compared to all the uncertainty and separation of last year!) why is my 5-year-old so defiant? He is constantly talking back, yelling "no!" at us and generally throwing a fit when everything doesn't go his way. Has anyone else had this problem? I've resorted to slapping his little mouth (though slapping is a pretty strong word for what actually happens) when he's being really obnoxious, and I REALLY want to find another way to deal with that. We've discussed it to death, trying to help him understand why he DOES need to do what we say, we've done time outs galore, spanking, pretty much everything, and he mostly just gets more incensed that we have any control over him and that he cannot dictate how everything in his life goes (ie getting ready to go somewhere, turning the tv off, getting ready for bed, picking up, what Jaina says and does while they play, etc.). He used to be such a sweetheart, and I'm not seeing that side as often anymore. I go back and forth between just not standing for it and not wanting to be harsh with him and ignoring a lot of it. But neither of those seem to be working. Has anyone else had trouble with this? Suggestions, please?
I feel whiny, but that can happen when you get up at 4:30 I guess...probably not a good time to blog. I do usually try to stay pretty positive on here. At least tomorrow is Saturday, and when I get Katy back to bed I should be able to sleep some too! I had big plans for exercise though, and I know I'm going to drag all day!
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| Just way to cute to sleep! |
3 comments:
I HEAR YOU SISTER! Its just like my Porty. The only that is good is that even if Trey does wake up because I let him scream for hours, Trey will go back to sleep. I sorry. I know those stories of a tired Mom! Your awesome! Hope she starts to sleep for you!
I hear you too. How frustrating that she won't sleep well.
I don't know what to suggest about Riley's new aggressiveness. Yoroko went through a stage kind of like that when she was four/five but it wasn't nearly so bad. I think Spencer worked through the worst of it by letting her have her way whenever possible (oh, you've decided to wear shorts when it's 30 degrees outside? okay! and then we'd just make sure and bring a pair of pants for when she changed her mind) and then yelling very loudly when she wouldn't obey. But it wasn't as bad as what it sounds like Riley is up to.
It was brought on by a new search for independence (I'm older, bigger, should be able to do more now) which was why we tried to let her make more of her own choices, but at the same time had to be tempered by the fact that even if you're making your own choices, you're still part of the family and some choices you don't get to make. If Mom & Dad are both leaving the house, then you are leaving the house too. (which is where the yelling came in)
I don't know if that helps or not. I hate it when my kids mouth off to me, or don't obey, so I totally understand your frustration!!
Maybe It's a Reilly thing because mine does the same thing absolutely nothing works with him and I mean nothing I have tried everything to ignoring him to spanking him. I have even taken away his favorite thing I really do mean I have tried everything I can think besides beating him which I would never do. Sorry I couldn't help but I wanted you to know I truly know how you feel. they are the same age to. If I figure something out I'll let you know. Good luck.
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