Getting Schooled

I didn’t get much sleep last night. Which isn’t an excuse, just a statement. And, this morning got a lot-bit out of hand. Graham was running around like a wild animal, Will was squawking loudly, and the house was a disaster. We were running really late for pre-school.

Graham tackled his brother while I was attempting to dress him. Will cried. Graham threw himself on to me as I was pulling up his pants, knocking me in to the corner of his dresser. I nearly cried. We were a hot mess.

I finally collect the kids, the lunch, and my keys and load the kids into the car. I secured Will in his seat then went over to Graham’s. He was bouncing around and refusing to comply and turn around to sit properly in his seat.

I lost it. “GET INTO YOUR SEAT!” I YELLED as I forcefully grabbed and jerked him around the proper way. “YOU CANNOT BEHAVE THIS WAY!” I screamed at him. Silence…. Crickets…

“Mommy, I don’t think you need to scream at me,” Graham quietly said. And then I had my moment of mommy-clarity for the day.

“You’re right Graham, that wasn’t right for mommy to yell at you like that. I’m really sorry. Would you please turn around so I can buckle you up?” He did, and then said, “Mommy, would you please not yell at me anymore?” Break my heart.

I scooped his little cheeks in my hands and gave him a big kiss on the nose. “I’m sorry, Graham. It’s never OK for me to lose my cool. I’ll try to pull myself together.” And, I did. I sat with him in the car for a few minutes and we talked. And chatted. And enjoyed being together. Something that I hadn’t done with him all morning.

“Hey, Mom?” Graham asked? “We better get going. I’m going to be late for school.” Oh, yeah. School. The reason I was running around like a crazy person to begin with.

Yep, my son taught me a lesson or two this morning: If you approach your children calmly, they’ll be calm back. If you approach them like a crazy person, they’ll be crazy back. And yes, even though I was having a moment with my little boy, we were running late and needed to get going.

I totally got schooled by a three-year-old who was late for pre-school.