September 15, 2011

Mommy Time-Out

Sometimes I need to take a time out.
I am usually pretty good at blocking my children out and ignoring negative behaviour, but when it directly affects our schedule and makes absolutely no sense, I struggle.

Princess refuses to wear pants
long sleeved shirts
socks
dresses with shirts underneath
"tie up" shoes
pyjamas
jackets

Shall I go on?
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I don't care if she walks around in her underwear when the weather is nice and we have nowhere to go, but when it is time to actually go out into public and she refuses to wear clothing, I have a hard time keeping my cool.
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30 minute tantrums because she refuses to wear a long sleeved shirt on a very cool morning is...ummm....ridiculous.
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And the fact that I used to work in the field of behaviour irks me to no end because sometimes I feel like my children are testing everything I have ever known about ummm.....behaviour.

So I give myself a time out.
Take a deep breath.
Remind myself that it is a great thing that my daughter knows what she likes and what she doesn't like.
Remind myself that this is small on the scale of parenting life.
And I don't give in.

Until we come back home and she strips down to her undies.
Moral of story.
Girls are hard. 

Or is it just my girl?

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11 comments:

Gigi said...

Umm, girls are hard? I would say yes, and I don't even have a girl! But I used to be one (long, long ago and far away....)

Yet, I can clearly remember my mother talking about my propensity to strip down as soon as I got home....funny, I still get "comfy" when I get as soon as I get home.

Must be a "girl" thing. ;-)

Stacy Uncorked said...

Sometimes Princess Nagger will have those frustrating (to me) mornings when she doesn't want to wear what I've suggested (like a long-sleeved shirt on a cool morning...because it'll be warmer later and she'll be too hot then! And of course then she complains about being too cold once I acquiesce and let her wear a short-sleeved one...) She, too, strips down to her underwear when she gets home - we jokingly call her "Underwear Girl". Yes, girls are hard - you are not alone! :)

Aloha: Motivational Friends

Unknown said...

I have one girl and three boys - I think it really depends on individual personality but I think my daughter is definitely more moody and grumpy at times than the boys. Of course, she's also 15 years old!

OneMommy said...

Oh no, it's not just your girl! LOL. Mine stayed in panties all day yesterday until we went to playdate in the afternoon. It was a high of 65.
I think I need to start taking time outs for me... Maybe I should set up a hiding place?

chantal said...

you are not alone! I usually don't have problems getting her dressed.. it's keeping her dressed. She like to run naked all the time and it frustrates me too!

MMAR said...

I am with Chantal... just try to keep her clothes on her : )

I am Harriet said...

I've got a teenage girl....closet? What closet?


Have a great Friday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2011/09/chocolate-ideas/

Jenners said...

Everybody tells me that girls are harder than boys. Everyone who has a girl and boy says this. So it isn't just your girl.

Unknown said...

The teen years are going to be fun with our girls, aren't they? This is just the beginning, I'm sure...

K has major opinions about shoes already. Good gravy, she's only almost two!!

Heatherlyn said...

You did exactly what I would do: insist on the clothing in the public and then let her just be almost naked at home. It's all about reasonable compromise, right? :) It isn't "girls" per se. It is the individual child. My little brother had a shirt that he wanted to wear ALL THE TIME. My mother had to take it off of him in his sleep and wash it while he was sleeping so that he could put it back on first thing in the morning or he would throw a FIT!!!! And he was a boy. I do think it is interesting that your training is in behavioral therapy. Sometimes when we are emotionally involved it changes the approach we feel like taking. Your kids seem pretty normal though. That's a good thing. :)

kailani said...

I think kids need to learn to make their own decisions but clothing in public is definitely a must! LOL!