Bad Day, Bad Day

On Thursday I had a bad day. I don't know why, but I was a grouch all day long. Twice I caught myself losing control and yelling, "STOP YELLING!!!!" to my kids. The second time I sighed and realized where they were learning it.

Yesterday Everett had a bad day. The kids had been up late and all morning long he and I were at odds with each other, except for the blessed hour we were all reading stories together. Just before lunch I lost patience with him one more time and when I stopped to really notice him, he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Mommy, I'm just so tired."

I wish I could say that I smiled and gave him a big hug, but I didn't. I told him that after no breakfast, his body needed lunch (which he was refusing to eat) and that he could go lay down after he finished his cheese biscuit. He wasn't happy with my answer and so the dramatics continued for a little while longer.

A hug would have been much better than a cheese biscuit.

Looking back on that morning, I wish I had exercised more patience. The poor guy--I knew just how he was feeling. Tired, hungry, not feeling well; that was me the day before, and you would think I could recognize that in him before he had to tell me.

I'm not being hard on myself. I'm just hoping that next time, I will remember these two days and react as oh, say, the adult in the situation should. Fortunately after a good nap for the kids and a quiet house for me, all was forgotten and we went on to have a pretty good day.