I have a very strong-willed child
*sigh*
We're having a 'defiance' day. My child is very strong willed. Gee, I wonder who he got that from?
It took me over 10 minutes to get him out of the park. We had driven to the park because we were out getting a few things. I parked by the mail boxes and we walked in. It takes a good 2-3 minutes of walking Patrick-pace to get to the actual equipment. We had fun on the swings, and several trips down the slide. Then we had another swing, and checked out the fences along the edges. I tried to take his hand and encourage him in the direction of the van. I talked to him about it being time to go home and see Daddy and Ramses, but I was ignored. If I tried to take his hand, he pulled away and screamed. I 'left' him and started in the drection of the van. He continued to run around and would look at me periodically. He decided it might be fun to climb up the slide (a no-no and he knows it) so I walked over and removed him. He kicked and screamed, so I put him down and tried to take his hand. He put his head down and cried.
This time I really walked away, towards the van. I got about 10 feet and then glanced back, and he decided he could come with me. He was running and crying. I kept my distance to encourage him to keep moving and when we got within 5 feet or so of the road, I stopped and tried to take his hand, which he immediately pulled away with a scowal. I took it anyway, talked about looking both ways for cars, and we went across the road, mostly with me pulling gently on his arm. By the time we got to the van, he was all happiness despite the runny nose and red eyes.
I know he's testing me and the limits but I just about lost my temper. I think I have teeth marks inside my cheeks. Why does it have to be so difficult? It makes me not want to take him to the park anymore.
I do feel slight satisfaction in having "won" (he eventually walked to the van like I wanted), but what a battle.
We're having a 'defiance' day. My child is very strong willed. Gee, I wonder who he got that from?
It took me over 10 minutes to get him out of the park. We had driven to the park because we were out getting a few things. I parked by the mail boxes and we walked in. It takes a good 2-3 minutes of walking Patrick-pace to get to the actual equipment. We had fun on the swings, and several trips down the slide. Then we had another swing, and checked out the fences along the edges. I tried to take his hand and encourage him in the direction of the van. I talked to him about it being time to go home and see Daddy and Ramses, but I was ignored. If I tried to take his hand, he pulled away and screamed. I 'left' him and started in the drection of the van. He continued to run around and would look at me periodically. He decided it might be fun to climb up the slide (a no-no and he knows it) so I walked over and removed him. He kicked and screamed, so I put him down and tried to take his hand. He put his head down and cried.
This time I really walked away, towards the van. I got about 10 feet and then glanced back, and he decided he could come with me. He was running and crying. I kept my distance to encourage him to keep moving and when we got within 5 feet or so of the road, I stopped and tried to take his hand, which he immediately pulled away with a scowal. I took it anyway, talked about looking both ways for cars, and we went across the road, mostly with me pulling gently on his arm. By the time we got to the van, he was all happiness despite the runny nose and red eyes.
I know he's testing me and the limits but I just about lost my temper. I think I have teeth marks inside my cheeks. Why does it have to be so difficult? It makes me not want to take him to the park anymore.
I do feel slight satisfaction in having "won" (he eventually walked to the van like I wanted), but what a battle.
posted by Deb at
10/03/2006 03:38:00 PM
