I was reflecting today about the preparations it took to get Mackenzie ready for a day at the beach. Fiona put on her bathing suit, packed her backpack, and got in the car. Mackenzie ran into her room to pick out a bathing suit and came out with a miss matched bikini set. We put it on and off she went only to return telling me it was itchy. Off it came. Second bathing suit went on. It was itchy. Third bathing suit worked. Tantrum over tooth brushing. Tantrum over needing to pee before getting in car. Finally in car seat and ready to go. Wait, bathing suit is itchy. I take down the top part and make her stay in it until we get to the beach where I change her into the 4th suit which consisted of a bikini bottom with no top. I was tired before we even got there. The wrestling matches are tiring.We had a power outage the other night that lasted about an hour and a half. It was only 5pm so I wasn't too worried about it initially. And then...she wanted the show she watches every day at 5. Nope, sorry. Hot dinner, sorry. Afraid of candles, sorry. Can't take a bath, sorry. I had a funny thought as we rushed around trying to make things normal. Do you remember that movie Ice Castles? Remember at the end when she did her amazing ice skating routine and then tripped over all the roses and flowers thrown on the ice? They had forgotten to prepare her for that part. That is how I felt. I hadn't been able to prepare her for the power to be out. We'd never needed to. Mackenzie's lights are out at about 7. At 6:40 the lights went back on. Phew. I was so dreading closing her door without her blue nightlight and her white nightlight and her music and her fan and her...and her ....and her....
She has begun spitting (again) all over the place. When she is mad, she spits on the floor. I don't get the TV on the right channel, she spits on the screen. I lean over to scold her, she spits on my face. As you can imagine- this friggin pisses us off after the umpteenth time each day. We do the time-out, clean it up, apologize- but really that doesn't work and we know that. I met with a psychologist today who suggested that Mack is getting negative reinforcement for her behaviors and as I am nodding my head I am thinking that she doesn't even know what the hell we deal with. This lady is a great help...but when I am suggested that we find a replacement behavior for spitting I can't help but swear inside my head. Of course we want a replacement behavior. Of course I want to find the good moments in the day and praise her and shower her with stickers and small stuffed extrinsinc shit. When really I am so tired and frustrated that putting her in time-out so she is safe from me screaming my head off at her is all I can do. We're working on it. Every day. I praise kids and dole out stickers to Kauai's children in need all day and when I get home I am lost. I can't get my kid to stop. Time. That's what it is. She needs time. She is a 2 year old in a 3.5 year old body. I know that. Brian knows that. She'll get through this. She has phases like these that we somehow get through. And stay married.
Today. Two sticker charts are posted on the wall. One for letting Mommy brush her teeth. One for not throwing anything from the dinner table. She is snoring sweetly in her doggie jammies. Two stickers were proudly placed on the charts for both successful accomplishments. I have extrinsincally motivated my child today, twice. I think I will put a sticker on my shirt too.
No comments:
Post a Comment