The Big Red Button
January 29, 2010
Filed under Parenting & Family Posts
As hard as I try to be cool calm and collected, there are moments where the kids just seem hellbent on pushing the anger button – that big red button that sets my blood to boil, that big red button that says “DO NOT PRESS” written on it in a font that only kids can’t understand…
I admit that I have to fumble around for ages to pop the button back out again (ie., defuse the temper). Sometimes I wish it simply wasn’t there but it is and I have to deal with it…
The main two ways they seem to press mine are
1) telling me they are/aren’t doing something when the opposite is clearly true. eg: Oldest Son says “I’m not doing anything to him” while his arms are wrapped around his brother’s neck…
2) ignoring me. I realise analytically (rationally) that this is normal, that it’s not personal, that whatever it is they’re doing is just soaking up their available bandwidth and Dad’s voice can’t get through. I know the techniques for calmly gaining their attention. But this still gets to me!!!!!
[Deep breath]
So. What presses yours?
How much time you got?
When you ask them to do something and they a) don’t or b) go and do something else
When they put themselves down or think they can’t do something, then procrastinate about doing it
Saying “I’m working” and getting bombarded with really important quesitons like “can we have dessert” when their dad is serving it up
When I have to ask the same quesitona 8 million and 96 times then YELL and then I’m the “evilist mother in the world”
Grrrrr
“No” or “Shut-up!”
Asking someone to do or not do something 8 million and 96 times (i.e. Please throw away the box if you finish the last snack so we know we are out.) and then hearing, “I know, you don’t have to tell me that.”
I feel like I’m the one pressing the button just by asking this question.