Trying something new

[aelfie]

I just put Ike in his room for "quiet time"


Basically, the girls are asleep, and I'm sick and tired of not getting a break 'cause he's still up. I decided that he could play in his room for a bit, while I took a short rest. After being in there 15 minutes, he's finally starting to quiet down. But I'm still hearing feeble "Mommy!"'s from his direction.


It just breaks my heart =( I hate hearing him cry.


EDIT:

I had planned on letting Ike out after a half an hour and when I opened the door to let him out...he was asleep on the bed. Poor thing.

Comments

[allanh.livejournal.com]

I suspect once he's reading, this will get a lot easier.

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

True, I did give him a couple of books to look at. And his room is full of toys to play with. But he just sat on his bed and cried.


I need the rest. But I hate making him sad. Guess that makes me a Mommy

[allanh.livejournal.com]

You may have to explain to Ike that Mommies & Daddies (and probably Uncas and Aunties) get tired, too. And sometimes grown-ups need to take a nap.

He's just about old enough that I suspect he'll get it.

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

I did. I told him that while he had quiet time in his room, mommy was having quiet time too. I just didn't mention I was doing it at the computer! =)


After he woke up I told him that from now on, sometime in the afternoon we were going to have quiet time. He'll go to his room, the girls will go to theirs, I'll go to mine and we'll just have some quiet time together. He snurfled at me and said okay. I know it will take a few times, but he'll get used to it in time. It was something new and not something he wanted.


Oh well.

[airporter.livejournal.com]

Sad is part of the retinue, lovely lady. He needs to experience unsatisfactory as well as fantastic! to understand life, love and the pursuit of happiness. He'll learn, and later on in life he'll appreciate the balance he had.

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

I know it is. But the reason why this bites me more deeply than the other times I've sent him to his room crying is that I'm doing something selfish for myself.

I don't want to be one of those mothers who shield their kids from everything. Not getting what you want is a good thing sometimes.

And something I need to incorporate into my life more!

[airporter.livejournal.com]

There needs be a balance in place for you occasionally, as well, hon.

Don't flagellate yourself about it so. If you manage to balance both of your lives a little by the activity, you're up on the deal.

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Balance is something I'm working on. Now that the girls are a bit older, and don't need me quite so much, I'm trying to do things that will make me stress less.

Which I why I'm spending a chunk of change next week for a thorough physical exam and nutrition and supplement overhaul. I'll be taking lots of amino acids just like Allan. I want to feel better dammit! So I'm taking the time to consult with those who can help.

And I refuse to feel quilty about it. Angry, yes. Guilty, Hell no!

[ross-teneyck.livejournal.com]

I've known people who graduated their kids from "nap time" to "quiet time" -- an hour or so spent in their room, where they were free to do pretty much anything they liked that was in their room, and reasonably quiet.

I think in their case the purpose was not so much "give us a break from the kids" as just getting the kids to rev the engine down for a bit in the middle of the afternoon.

[airporter.livejournal.com]

Lovely idea.