It may technically be ‘summer’ if we’re discussing the weather but when talking parenting, this Mum is very firmly entrenched in a dark and stormy winter.
Instead of beginning the school year refreshed and full of pep, the personal toll of beginning a new intermediate (where he knows no-one) combined with what I’m sure is a hormone surge going on right now has rendered Ethan an emotional wreck. It’s like walking on eggshells around him right now, and he’s only 11! We have anger, tears, non-compliance, rage and a desire to just retreat into the online world of his games which causes even further conflict. If there was one thing I could turn back time and change in our parenting journey thus far, it would be giving in to the repeated requests to purchase a game console.
I despise the Xbox on SO many levels. It’s got an addictive pull that sucks kids in, plus the online functionality of the new Xbox 1 has totally upped the levels of grief Ethan gives us about game-time. Compounding this is that fact that it’s a Microsoft product so a total piece of shit. There are always server issues, software problems and after owning it approx 6 weeks the wifi adapter in it has died so it needs to be sent back. Cue the 11-year-old frustration/angst.
From this, you’d probably gather that E is not dealing well with the transition to his new school. But that’s actually not the case thank goodness. He loves his teacher, has made some friends in his class. He seems to be getting his head around the gargantuan amount of opportunities and sports teams that are available for him to get involved with. Plus, he’s catching the bus home for the first time today which will relieve another little niggle that’s been causing him some anxiety. Hopefully, as we ease into our school routine he’ll settle down a little and be able to maintain a bit more of an even keel at home.
But then there’s Nixon.
Whereas his older brother is generally as solid as a rock, Nix was born without a ‘keel’ so to speak, trying to maintain any sense of equilibrium with my second born is completely futile! To make matters worse, he is also sans ‘rudder’, a full speed, dynamo of a 2.5-year-old that spends his day hurtling through life in the most exuberant, albeit exhausting way.
He also likes to begin his day at 4.40am. What. In. The. Actual. Fuck am I supposed to do with that hmmm?
If we’re talking non-compliance then to be fair, Nixon wrote the damn book on it. Last night was a case study in toddler meltdowns. A 25min ordeal of mammoth proportions because he didn’t want to take a shower, then he didn’t want to get out of the shower……… It was a very loud and violent protest that took every ounce of physical and mental strength I had to bring him down from and then get him to sleep.
The days are long yo.
As with everything, there is light in every day. I actually really enjoyed the quiet time spent driving E to school over the past few days, and Nixon and I had a lovely cafe morning yesterday and spent the afternoon playing in the garage (change of scenery) with craft supplies and painting. There is definitely good in every day, it just seems the extremes of the boys behaviour is really plumbing new depths at the moment lol.
How are your kids doing after slipping back into the school routine?
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