Wouldn't it be great if each of your children came with an instruction manual? Or maybe we should have mandatory classes on parenting. I do not know how to handle my 5 year old's moody personality. Maybe I can't get too upset with her, because there's a good chance some of it is genetic (ahem, her mom can be this way). For example, we walk to the school to pick her up when she is done with class. She's happy and energetic like she is every day after school. She runs almost the whole way home, then suddenly 3 houses before ours, she stops running, walks slowly with her head hung down kind of. I try to make a game out of it and tell her "we're going to get you". She continues walking, head hanging a bit and then by the 2nd house she laughs and starts running. I let her beat us, of course. So, we are in the driveway and she stops by the car, hangs her head again and is acting sad, or mopey, or mad. I don't really know what the emotion is. I don't dwell on it, or linger begging to find out what is wrong. So I go in the house and carry on with the day. She's happy when she gets to have cocoa puffs for a snack. I tell her come downstairs so I can show her the new bathroom vanity. She seems unimpressed and when I asked her for a hug, you would have thought I asked her to go mop the entire house. That felt great.
She is obsessed with watching "movies" or shows on netflix. I guess I let her do it too often, but I do try to limit it. Today she asked to watch a movie and I told her no. She threw a little fit and stamped her feet. When I put Alaina down for a nap she asked again. I said no, you threw a fit last time I told you no, so you don't get to watch one. I came up with other ideas. I offered her to help me make cookies, bread or read stories together. She didn't want to do any of those. Then she thought maybe making cookies would suffice. Until I told her what kind I was making. It was all over then. More moping, whining, etc.
Her moods are all over the place. She is up and down all day long. If she isn't being entertained, she is most likely moping around the house.
The other thing that is quite bothersome is that two or three times now, when she is unhappy with a decision I have made on her behalf, she tells me:
"you don't love me anymore"
"you're not my friend anymore because you aren't being nice to me"
"you don't want me anymore"
"you don't love me anymore".
So, what to make of it all?
8 comments:
Just remember you are the mom. Don't take those things she says to you seriously or to heart. She is a child, and she will learn through your consistency of being a good example. Go easy on yourself because parenting is such a hard job. You are doing wonderful. You are a great mom. We moms are not judged by how good a job we're doing by how our 2, or even 5 year olds act, thankfully. Just hang in there. There are lots of great parenting books and I happen to love this one: http://www.amazon.com/Supernanny-How-Best-Your-Children/dp/1401308104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319750066&sr=8-1
However, no matter what you read about parenting. All children come with a spirit. And they are all different. The best news for us is, we are endowed in the temple. When our children are born under the covenant, the Holy Ghost authorizes us to act in their behalf as parents. We are blessed to receive inspiration to help them as individuals that is specifically tailored to them. We pray and ask and receive it. Attending the temple helps. Saying our prayers helps. Praying with the child helps. We are very lucky to have the temple. I don't know how other parents cope without it.
I love you! You are a great mom and Katelyn is a wonderful girl. We are all only 5 once and she is acting completely normal. (My sister AND my sister-in-law can tell you stories about their 5 year old boys...oh my).
I agree with Alicia....
Just wait till she is a teenager... Talk about moody.. ; )
These seem like manipulative statements to me. Don't let them work. Stick to your guns. You may think I'm a little over-the-top here, but I think that giving our kids a constant diet of entertainment (even entertaining educational stuff)produces a sort of rebound boredom with the real business of life and learning. Kind of like feeding them lots of sugar makes veggies and wholesome food seem nasty. It also produces a passive approach to learning--"I'll just sit here and you do it all." Just my observations.
Oh man, I think we may be in for it! Our boys are crazy, but it's different than the emotional side we're now starting to see from Emily. I'll be watching for advice from you! :)
I wish I had some wisdom to instill, but I feel like I'm in the same boat. When did parenting become so challenging?
I've been thinking of canceling the netflix (like I told you already) and that would solve your problem and mine! :)
Katelyn is a wonderful, sweet, happy girl. Just remember all the things you're doing right in parenting her.
Fiddle faddle is what I say on taking the movies/TV away. I feel like as long as you get out of the house for some good, outdoor activities/play and you spend some quality time together during the day reading/talking/coloring/cooking, etc. Movies and TV shows are a wonderful blessing to entertain our kids. A variety of activities and moderation in all things is the key. Gloria loves to bake things with me. I let her get involved as much as I can without making the kitchen/baking project a disaster and she absolutely loves it! I think it is her favorite time. She also love painting together. ;-)
Katelyn sounds JUST like Brianna!! Seriously, Brianna has said those exact same things, and pouts and whines when she doesn't get her Netflix show, but can be SO sweet and happy most of the time... but man, those mood swings throw me for a loop!! And she's only 3.5! I just figure she doesn't really understand what she's saying and just wants to get what she wants. I wouldn't over-analyze it. But maybe I'm wrong and my daughter will turn into a crazy hormonal outta control teenager. Sigh... where's that instruction manual?!! Ha! Seriously though, I think you're doing a fabulous job. And I like the new blog look!
Wow! I have not been privileged yet to have my daughter say those things to me, or have mood swings. You will be a pro by the time I get around to that and will be able to help me through that time. As for now, I get the boy mood swings which consists of, hitting me, punching me, kicking me, spitting at me, biting me, yelling at me. Yeah, those are the fun times I cherish most.
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