The good, the bad and the...beautiful

Since Amelia hasn't been sleeping very well I decided to take her to the park on Saturday.  It was super hot but I know the sunshine helps and it really did as she not only took a nap but slept well that night.  But while we were there it was an interesting trip to see such a wide variety of people and what came with it.

First, a local church youth group brought bubbles over for the kids which I thought was a really neat idea.  They weren't pushing their beliefs on anyone but showing what I feel Christ is about, being kind and giving.  The kids loved it and Amelia was in heaven after playing in the spray ground and then chasing bubbles. 

Before long she made it to the swings and I sat and talked to two lovely ladies about their girls and sweet baby that they had with them.  After a few minutes one of the girls came and said they were leaving the spray ground because some other girls were making fun of one of the girls hair.  The girl being made fun of happened to be African-American so perhaps her hair is something they may not understand but that is certainly no excuse.  In an effort to keep her daughters from running away from the problem the mother (who was one of the ladies that I was speaking to) went over and so nicely told the girls to be nice or they could go back to their parents.  I was really touched by her reaction.  She didn't back down but she wasn't harsh, that is not something I'm sure I could have done.  When someone teases my daughter I go pretty much full force, but that's not a lesson to teach kids.  This mother knows what she is doing; of course, she does have 4 kids so maybe that's experience.

I spoke with the ladies a few minutes more and we talked about how parents need to teach their kids kindness and while "kids will be kids" it's the parents responsibility to teach them not to bully others. 

It was overall a good day, seeing the teasing made me sad but in the end good people won out and all of the kids had fun.  It reminded me to teach Amelia kindness and that different is not bad.

Summer time

Since pre-school is in summer session and a little less structured, Amelia started acting out.  That's one thing that I've noticed with the ADHD medicine, if there is no structure it causes her stress; this is why we don't give it to her on the weekends.  We decided, with the school, to take her off of the medication for now.  It's been going well but I could tell this weekend that the medicine seems to be completely out of her system.  She is a WILD CHILD!  Quite honestly it can be exhausting but I just remind myself it's about her--not me,  although as a Mom it can wear you down.  There is not much of a quiet time for us and I've started having to lay with her to get her to bed because that calms her down...oh how I miss mommy time.

Well, this to shall pass I suppose.  A mothers work is never done but a break occasionally would be nice.



Here's some more "Ameliaisms":

"Mommy, Daddy's not doing anything right", she later told me that "Daddy won't stop talking to me".]

Last night we were playing and she made me a fairy and her a princess.  I used my wand to turn her into a frog which she didn't agree with and told me "STOP THE ATTITUDE!".  When I wouldn't stop she told me to "act like a fairy" and then DE-throned me completely by removing my wings and taking my wand.  *sigh*

She wanted me to put on a dress (which I don't wear) and I told her I didn't have one.  "Yes you do, I buy'd you one!".  Well, um, yea that got returned...

I host many events around town with my Macaroni Kid business and the other day while I was talking to some readers Amelia decided to pull her shorts down in front of everyone.  She said sprite got in her pants.  My little mooner.

Letting them cry

When Amelia was a baby I heard a lot about CIO (cry it out).  Letting a baby cry it out so they learn to comfort themselves.  Honestly, then it wasn't too hard because I knew that I needed rest and was exhausted.  She learned to entertain herself and I got a little rest; in between the times sneaking in to make sure she was still breathing.

But as she gets older I actually find it harder to do, seeing her cry real tears and feel real fear and sadness hurts me tremendously.  I find myself becoming my parents saying "this hurts me more than it hurts you", something I never knew was true until now.

Amelia just started swim classes a couple of weeks ago, it was a decision I made adamantly after pool time on our girls weekend.  I couldn't worry that she would decide to show someone she could swim when in actuality she is afraid of the water.  The first class wasn't so bad but on the way to the second class she informed me that she wasn't going in the water.  I told her that she had to and to do what her teacher said but I knew at that point she would resist.  I generally like to stay out while she is learning new things so she doesn't look to me but saw on the TV screen that she was giving them trouble so I went in the pool area.  That was a mistake.  She kept looking to me and starting crying at one point, when she came to me and said "Mommy, I want to leave" in a chocked up voice with tears in her eyes it was the hardest thing to tell her that she had to go back.  My God, the pain I felt right then and still feel thinking about it is almost unbearable.

But I know she needs to learn this, I took swim lessons and I can be safe around water.  I feel guilt that maybe I should have started her at an earlier age but honestly I didn't have the money then and I started them a little later than her and did fine. 

While I pray that this upcoming lesson will go better I fear that it will be the same for a bit longer.  She has great teachers and everyone there works with all of the kids so that's not a problem.  I will have to stay out of the pool area so that she can't lean on me and the thought of her feeling abandoned...well, I can't think of that.  She's almost 5 so I know that there is much more of this to come and I have to start now.  For her.  For me.