The Battle of Losantiridge
Long story short, we've been having a hard time getting Henry to go to sleep these days. I suppose there comes a time in a child's life, where, be it due to fear or assertiveness or whatnot, they decide that going to bed isn't something they are particularly interested in anymore.
Obviously, this is a frustrating thing for us. That being said, when we step back and look at the situation with a non-critical eye, he's been doing some things that are, dare I say, quite funny.
For example, his favorite refrain is "Come here! I want to show you something." Never mind the fact that he doesn't have anything to actually show us.
To test this, last night, after 20 minutes of prodding, I finally went back to his room and said "OK, what do you want to show me?"
Pause. Pause. "Ummm," he said, as he frantically looked around his bed for something to show me, "This!" And held up the books I read him approximately ten minutes earlier. Yeah, good one. Go to bed.
At the time, we certainly weren't laughing, but, you know what, as I sit here at work (I've started getting up super-early to try and reclaim some freetime), and step back from the situation, it IS funny, and it isn't so bad.
I just wish I could feel that way in the moment, when the bullets are flying, when what's needed from me is calm assertiveness with a touch of emotional sensitivity to my 2.83333 year old son, who's probably scared, definitely learning that he has a worldview that he'd like to protect, and won't be doing this forever (please, dear God).
Maybe I'm at a crossroads, where I have to focus on what kind of father I want to be, because, there's more of these challenges on the horizon, not less. Which is a good thing, since every battle like this is evidence that Henry is growing and testing boundaries and learning.
These are the teaching moments, and this is why we have children. I just have to remember that fact when it's 10:30 at night, and my son has been screaming about not wanting to go to bed.
Obviously, this is a frustrating thing for us. That being said, when we step back and look at the situation with a non-critical eye, he's been doing some things that are, dare I say, quite funny.
For example, his favorite refrain is "Come here! I want to show you something." Never mind the fact that he doesn't have anything to actually show us.
To test this, last night, after 20 minutes of prodding, I finally went back to his room and said "OK, what do you want to show me?"
Pause. Pause. "Ummm," he said, as he frantically looked around his bed for something to show me, "This!" And held up the books I read him approximately ten minutes earlier. Yeah, good one. Go to bed.
At the time, we certainly weren't laughing, but, you know what, as I sit here at work (I've started getting up super-early to try and reclaim some freetime), and step back from the situation, it IS funny, and it isn't so bad.
I just wish I could feel that way in the moment, when the bullets are flying, when what's needed from me is calm assertiveness with a touch of emotional sensitivity to my 2.83333 year old son, who's probably scared, definitely learning that he has a worldview that he'd like to protect, and won't be doing this forever (please, dear God).
Maybe I'm at a crossroads, where I have to focus on what kind of father I want to be, because, there's more of these challenges on the horizon, not less. Which is a good thing, since every battle like this is evidence that Henry is growing and testing boundaries and learning.
These are the teaching moments, and this is why we have children. I just have to remember that fact when it's 10:30 at night, and my son has been screaming about not wanting to go to bed.
posted by Greg at
8:18 AM
2 Comments
