Torture in the Pit of Despair – The Princess Bride (1987)
ET is going through a whiny phase. This has been ongoing for sometime but the long school days have made him tired and the whining has increased. At times it is like a dentist drill boring through my brain. This evening is one of those times.
I feel like running outside and screaming at the top of my lungs, but I’ve decided that just writing my way through it is probably the saner option.
First, let me give you some context.
I am not a woman who pretends her mood doesn’t fluctuate with her monthly cycle. I readily admit that I get emotionally labile and have moments of irrational anger… in short, I can be a right bitch when I’m premenstrual. Is that TMI? I don’t really care, it’s an important part of the story.
Usually I do a pretty good job of controlling my short fuse, seething on the inside with a cool façade. Like this afternoon, when a department store cashier didn’t know what a gift receipt was and kept telling me I really wanted to buy a gift card. (After I managed to fully explain that a gift receipt was a separate receipt for one item of my purchase that didn’t show the cost or the total purchase, she looked at me and said, “So you want me to write the word ‘gift’ on your receipt?” Grrrrr.)
Okay, so that gives you an idea of my mental state. Now let me tell you about his.
The boys were at a laser-tag birthday party today (BDN’s son is eight, yay!) and the excitement of this event, in combination with a grey weather day, created a very tired 6-year-old.
Non-parents might think really tired kids would just fall into bed and sleep all night. This is true for very physically tired kids, like if they spent all day at the beach and then had soccer in the evening, that kind of tired kid will fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow.
A child who is tired emotionally from an overwhelmingly exciting day, but who hasn’t been out running around, can be a bear at bedtime. They are illogical and demanding but, even though they can’t stop yawning, they are still full of a physical energy that just makes them uncomfortable.
This is a partial list of things that upset ET tonight during the process of getting ready for bed and falling asleep. Remember, this information was all delivered in the pitch of that dentist drill:
His toothpaste tastes funny
He’s sad because I didn’t read enough Harry Potter
He hates mosquitoes and his bug bite is itchy
He doesn’t want to go to school tomorrow
His tongue hurts (he bit it yesterday when he jumped off the deck)
His toes hurt because they are growing
His belly hurts if he lies on it
He’s hot with a shirt on
He wishes he had more toys
He wants a new Lego set
He’s cold with his shirt off
He’s sad because Daddy is out at a meeting
He wants someone to sleep with him
His whole body hurts
It’s a very long list and it went on like this for over an hour after he was meant to be asleep. On their own, these complaints aren’t enough tip me over the edge, but tonight my fragile psyche just couldn’t take it.
So please excuse me now… I’m just going to curl up in a ball and have a little cry.
Have you discovered your breaking point?
Escaping Elegance 
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Oh I feel for you – totally understand those nights where you just want it to STOP. It’s such a shame children don’t come with on/off switches. Hang in there!
Oooo… I like the idea of an off switch. *mad scientist laugh* I’m off to the lab to get working on it!
ooh forgot to mention I don’t know if you already know but I’ve nominated you for some awards, if you do know then cool, just I forgot to message everybody! You can check it out here if you haven’t already http://fivemsblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/does-my-head-look-big-in-this/
I’m soo glad I’ve read this as I’ve been having one of those weeks, yes WEEKS! Those days have spilled into a week of mind bending agony and this morning I had a good scream once the kids had gone to school. Not very elegant I know but boy do I feel better now! I know other mums go through exactly the same thing but when they all appear to be so collected and together and their life seems to be peachy peach its hard to imagine that they are ever standing in their bedroom having a good bellow like I did! So its really great to read about it here and think ‘Yep, I know exactly how you feel, have a big hug from me’ 🙂 So here it is a big hug! Great post, its all so much better once we are able to laugh about it isn’t it x
Good for you, having that scream, because who has the time for therapy? Oh, I know those collected moms as well. That’s why my best bud in the mornings on the school yard is a dad – he’s always willing to admit he was ready to kill the kids! We always start the day with a great commiseration.
Glad you were able to relate, but sorry your week has been rough!
Totally identify. I feel like I’ve passed my breaking point, actually. I’ve written a post about this (sort of) which I intend to post tomorrow. It’s all about 4 Year Old’s f*#$&$g Fours. Apparently that’s a thing.
Oh, I have always called them the F-ing Fours! They make the Terrible Twos look like a walk in the park. I’m looking forward to your post. It important to write about it so people don’t think they’re alone in the madness!
I’ve been pushed to the breaking point many times. A lot depends on a child’s personality- some children are more challenging (spirited is a positive way of putting it, described in the book “Raising Your Spirited Child”). And all children have their moments, times when they are exhausted and overtired or just out of sorts.
Mothering is hard work. I know at this point how quickly the time goes, but I’m still not a saint. I love my kids and do the best I can, and that will have to be good enough. I imagine when they have their own kids they’ll understand.
Oh for sure! Since becoming a parent myself, I’ve called my parents numerous times to apologize!
As for the relativity of time… I’ll never forget a quote someone gave me when our 1st son was born. “The days are long, but the years are short.” I’ve never heard anything since that has described it so well.
Thanks for reading, and for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment.
First of all, had to look up the word “labile”; thanks for expanding my weak vocabulary.
Secondly, good for you for admitting that you find it hard sometimes. Because sometimes it is hard. No, we are not starving or in a civil war or dealing with life-threatening illnesses (and I know you actually do thank God for that) but, once in a while, everyday life gets tedious to the point of despair. Nothing a little cry and a few punches into a pillow won’t fix. I applaud you for admitting it, and dealing with it in what I consider to be a normal, healthy way. So put that in your pipe and smoke it (just don’t inhale)!
You help me with my fashion-sense and I’ll keep teaching you new words!
Thanks for figuratively lending an ear, neighbour. You know me, I’m not one to pretend I have everything under control!
The Princess Bride !!! Eeeee! That makes everything better. Buttercup and Wesley forever !!! 🙂
Oh, right, sorry – this is about you 😉 For what it’s worth, I’m all sorts of impressed with the fact that you can take a highly trying day and turn it into a highly entertaining blog post, ee. (Not TMI, for the record 🙂 )
Yes, The Princess Bride does have the power to cure all ills… my favourite movie of all time! I just introduced the boys to it this summer and they love it too. It makes me so happy when I ask them do do something and the answer, “As you wish.”
As always, thanks for the support. 🙂
I also find it brings me great joy to answer random questions with, “inconceivable!” 😀
But I’m sure you know what it means!
You know it, baby!
While I both understand and am slightly amused (I’ve known these routines), I have to inquire (in a calming way) – what purpose does it serve to curl up in a ball and have a little cry? Realizing that there will be a time when you will pang for these days, perhaps a little light-heartedness and looking for humor in it (because it’s there!). Life presents so many deeper challenges that when put into perspective, tantrums and incessant whining are pretty mild. 🙂
Don’t worry, Eric. I really do know that my complaints are very minor and that I am blessed in all aspects of my life. The cry isn’t due to a “woe is me” attitude.
Maybe it is more of a female hormone thing, but there are times in life when I feel overwhelmed by the little things and, when combined with extreme fatigue, my body/mind copes by releasing some emotion.
Kind of the same as crying over a happy ending of a movie. It isn’t sadness or self-pity… just a visceral reaction.
Trust me, I really do see the humour in these situations. I’m sure I couldn’t blog about them of I didn’t! Thanks for your support. 🙂
I remember this so very well – and there are days when my boys can still do this to me (they are 19 and 21 – so sorry to say…). In fact, I used to bemoan the fact that I could function well in a room with 30 – 40 teenage students, but one little person could put me completely over the edge. What is up with that?? But as you already know, once you have had the little cry, you are ready to do it again because the rest of the time they are so loveable. Good luck with tomorrow!
It’s still happening at 19 and 21?! Didn’t anyone teach you that if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all? 😉
Just kidding, of course. Thanks for the lovely support. That’s really the reason I wrote about it. It is good for parents to know that everyone of us have these low moments.
Really, it’s just about how much we care – if we didn’t, we wouldn’t feel the pain of that breaking point. 🙂 It is a good thing that you write about it – we do need to know we are not alone. Hope today was a better day!
I love your candour and wit. I’m sorry you have been wrung through the ringer by your wee one but your perspective and insights tell me what a brilliant parent you are. Three cheers for you!
Thanks Skye… I guess if I was a terrible it wouldn’t bother me so much that he was up well past his bedtime, eh? Your wisdom is always appreciated!
My children send me over the edge quite frequently :). But my ou gets daughter does what you’re describing… She needs to talk o us about so many important things at bedtime….she is a scoot! We finally started having her go to bed early the next night, for how ever many minutes she was late to bed that night! Sometimes it works, but other times, she still carries on!! 🙂 my best advice…and I’m a GOOD advisor…is to DRINK MORE WINE 🙂
Thanks for the comment TIA, but I worry I would be a raging drunk by 9am if I took your advice! 😉 Thanks for reading.