It started out like any other evening, other than we just came from a very mind stimulating event, the Rodeo. There was a lot going on, the horses, the kids, the new faces, a lot for a little toddler’s mind to take on.
We got home a little later than usual and Daddy went to take Carson’s sneakers off and unleashed the beast. I thought maybe it would just be a simple, “I don’t want you to take my shoes off, I want them back on” kind of whine. It turned into screaming and falling on the floor in frustration. This was our first, all out, over tired, stimulated, full speed ahead temper tantrum.
I let him go for a bit, but the later it got, I knew he needed to go on the potty and get in for a quick shower. It took the two of us to try and get Carson’s clothes and diaper off and two of us to wash him up, all the while he was screaming and kicking. Geoff had to hold him so he wouldn’t hurt himself.
I came to the point where I mentally removed myself from the situation and asked, where as a first time parent do I stop and let him sleep in dirty clothes, sweaty body, all for the shear fact of not letting him go through this tantrum and letting him be. I wanted an answer to fall in my hands, What do I do?
Just like we do with adults, we need to pick and choose our battles with our children. It seems so much easier with adults, because, well, they are who they are, whatever battle you choose to fight or not, isn’t going to shape them into a different person (although sometimes I wish it would).
We are responsible for Carson’s upbringing and shaping him into a responsible, loving adult. Wow, is there a bigger task on the face of this planet? All of this thought process coming from this one experience.
The battles were laid out in front of Geoff and I last night, we chose to fight that one and lovingly explain to Carson that Mommy and Daddy love him and its bath time, everything is ok. I don’t know if we picked the right the battle or not, I guess I won’t know. I do know, once I finally dried him off and got the diaper on; he squeezed around my neck and just wanted to be held.
We haven’t experience this in public yet and I hope we never do, I sure hope to not ever go through this again, for Carson’s sake and ours. Although after this experience, if I ever see a mother or father going through this, I think I will definitely give them a pat on the back and let them know, they aren’t alone and they are doing the very best job that they can do.
Cheers! (letting out a big siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh, thank goodness that’s over)
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