Am I the Only One????

I CAN'T be!
I mean, if you go into a store browsing cards, and come upon one bearing a photo of a little girl in a princess costume with a 'growl' on her face (similar to above) that reads like this:
"I CAN'T go into the store because it's Tuesday and I have a SCRATCH on my arm!" It can only mean this is more common than it seems, right??? (RIGHT?! Someone? Anyone?)
When opened, the interior finishes the thought with a wish for a 'relatively drama-free day' to the recipient. HEY! I'll take it - even if I bought it for MYSELF.

I'm not exaggerating when I share that Myla nearly quoted the card the very next day, as we were making our way into a store, by blurting out, "But I CAN'T go inside because my leg hurts and I need SUNGLASSES!" I looked at Joel like, "See?" We both laughed at the time - because the timing was truly uncanny. But in everyday life - it's no laughing matter for the 24-hour-a-day mom! We moms can only handle so much drama before our brains melt... And mine is again, on the verge of just that. Things are growing mushy up there these days~


I tried to explain to Joel that it's not so much that I need to get away from the girls... It's just that I need a few moments (okay, many more moments) of quiet... calm... the ability to finish a thought... an opp to pee all by myself (another funny card, mind you!)... simply - to not have the demands of constant supervision, refereeing, begging kids to eat & sleep, and the general racket & chaos that comes with having 2 kids under the age of 4 in the same house with you. If you're not careful - it can consume you. I don't know how some people make themselves go 'numb' enough to deal... (Though most tips from friends included alcohol!) I also don't really know how to 'train' Myla not to be so damn dramatic about everything. 


Tonight - when I handed her multiple consequences following multiple misdemeanors on her part - she exclaimed, "You're driving me crazy!" UHUH! Sorry honey - other way around. I guess there's another thing I should be more careful about discussing within earshot. But I think sometimes they actually NEED to really understand that they are misbehaving, and you can show it through your disappointment. There's no reason to hide your discontentment with naughty behavior. I can recall when I was a kid, one of my major motivators in generally being good/ usually listening to my parents was that I didn't want to disappoint them. If they don't really feel that their actions affect anyone - what makes them want to discontinue them?? Just like you can't let them out of their consequences - and still teach them that they will have to deal with the outcome of their choices.


She did later feel bad, and apologize - but I think it was a big disappointment for her, when she realized that while I welcomed her apology and reassured her lovingly - it didn't mean she was allowed to get out of her consequences. I don't want this night to unfold again any time soon... (make that - ever). 


So - blogging it here... in search of someone who can confirm that I'm not the only one living in chaos and drama at so many consistent intervals?? - Hello?? Somebody?? (I'm only hearing my own echo... Damn!) Also trying to get it off my chest. There. That's better. Repeat this mantra with me now, "Drama-Free is the Life for Me!" (I'm a member of this page on facebook!) ;)


Ciao fo now!


TIP: If they sense weakness, they will play that key over and over and over and over.... Discipline must be consistent and strong. Not easy - but worth it. 
A Quote: “To see your drama clearly is to be liberated from it.” ~Ken S. Keyes jr. 
Bonus Quote: “What allows us, as human beings, to psychologically survive life on earth, with all of its pain, drama, and challenges, is a sense of purpose and meaning” ~Barbara De Angelis
WHIDFML: Totally vegged-out tonight once I got the girls into bed (early!!)... Watched the season premier of Master Chef. I needed to just stop my brain from spinning for a while. Seemed to help with that numbness I was needing ;)