Hi Everyone,
We are very lucky. We never lost electricity, the roof and the basement didn’t leak and we survived Sandy!
Corey and I have tried to keep very busy the last several days. Today we had some moments that were touchy. Let me rephrase, “I” had some moments that were challenging me. I’m ashamed to admit it but there are times my exhaustion ignites my impatience and controls my reactions.
If you are a parent you may remember the days that seemed never ending. The days the kids didn’t stop saying your name repeatedly and pelted one question after another. Corey’s tantrums are definitely improving but her short term memory is still a significant challenge. I have become the Queen of Distraction but there are days despite my creativity that she does not waiver from fixating on one topic, question and/or action. Most days I can handle it but when we’ve been isolated for several I must admit, she’s breaking me.
When the kids were younger and I would begin to lose my temper, instead of counting to 10, I would close my eyes and whisper; “I love my children, I love my children, I love my children”. If I said this mantra out loud, they knew they better leave the room before my eyes were opened. Unfortunately, this trick currently doesn’t work with Corey.
So once again I find myself trying to isolate the one word that affected me today; Impatience. I went searching for my quote of the day.
Three hundred years ago a prisoner condemned to the Tower of London carved on the wall of his cell this sentiment to keep up his spirits during his long imprisonment: ‘It is not adversity that kills, but the impatience with which we bear adversity.’ ~ James Keller
I’m not comparing myself to a prisoner but some days feel like a life sentence. Today’s quote helped, along with talking to my sister! It all circles back to perspective. We have been working with Corey on her temper with a specific behavior plan. Tonight I used it on myself.
I stepped away, closed my eyes, took several deep breathes to release my frustration and started to fold laundry while Corey ate her dinner. Her questions were not silenced by my momentary break but did inspire the Queen to come up with a new distraction.
It was my turn to ask the questions; first we played “Would you rather”. I got quite creative with her choices which helped us both relax. Her response to this question made me laugh out loud; “would you rather have a personal chef or a personal masseuse”? Corey answered, “a personal masseuse”…”I’m going to be a chef so I don’t need one of those”.
Then we played Disney 20 Questions. She had to pick a character, place, or thing from one of the Disney movies. Our first round was great fun. She wrote her character name on a piece of paper and I had 20 questions to guess who, where or what it was. She picked Mulan and she won. Round 2 was more challenging. Although she picked Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty) she forgot she picked Aurora and answered all my questions with responses that were correct for Mulan! My last question was, “would you rather keep playing or go to bed”…fortunately, she opted for bed.
The silence that fills the house as the Princess sleeps is often the remedy for the Queen to relax, regroup and release the day. Tomorrow we will try again…happy dreams, xoxo