Parenting: Not for the Faint of Heart (Part Two)

Raising a child is harder to me than labor.

You know that your labor will be over eventually, but parenting is long term…like the rest of your life, haha!

With that said, it was really silly of me to be worried about something that would only last a couple hours (or all day), when I should have concerned about the next 18+ years! I mean, it’s my fault really…should have seen the writing on the wall.

Like:
– a surprise pregnancy
– scary/hard labor and delivery
– he hit every developmental milestone early (which we thought naively was due to superb parenting, haha!)
– and his name (Ethan means firm willed)

Yes, he was going to be a challenge.

So why am I sitting here four years later feeling embarrassed? No, I didn’t walk out of the bathroom at a restaurant with toilet paper trailing my sandal. I wish. Funny though, it does have to do with toilets. (what is it with my family and toilets?!?!?)

I digress.

On Tuesday Ethan and I were watching a movie together while the other kids napped. He informs me that he needs to tinkle and then heads to the bathroom. No-big-deal.

Then this happens…which I tweeted.

…okay, okay…you can stop laughing. May I remind you that it’s only funny because it didn’t happen to you. Thankfully, haha!

I freaked out!

“Ethan, why did you think it was okay to tinkle in the bath tub?”

“I don’t know.”

I spanked him and figured this chapter was over. Actually Sam told me to blog about it but I decided against it. I’d like to say it was because I was too embarrassed but really I think it was just because I was lazy, haha!

I chalked the intense to some silly, random, embarrassing things your kids do.  You know those kind of things that you can’t wait to sit with their future girlfriend (or Paisley’s case boyfriend) and share.  Classic “Mom you’re embarrassing me, stop!” material.  Payback for sure.

No I hadn’t quite gotten it right.

Thursday as I walked into the boys’ preschool to pick them up, I only had one concern.  That would be Paisley who was strapped to my back pulling my hair. . . out!

Ouch.


The day had been easy and low stress.  Heck I even managed to clean some. This was huge.

**Side note: I really think my hives are because I’m allergic to cleaning, haha!**

I was so excited to go pick up my boys.  They enjoy their days at preschool (even Titus now), and I enjoy my girl time with my favorite daughter. . . but we (Paisley and I) start to miss them.

“Brittany”

I turned to see who was trying to get my attention.

“Can I speak with you for a second?”

It was the preschool director.  Figuring she was going to tell me Titus had a hard day, or somenone was sick, I prepared myself for the worst.

“Well, Ethan. . . has. . . “

And then she hesitates.
Oh no.
What?

Does he have lice? (heaven forbid)
Did he get hurt?
Have a bruise?

Then she finishes her sentence, spitting it out like she really doesn’t know how to tell me.

“Ethan has had a hard day”

“Okay?”

“He went into the bathroom and peed on the entire roll of toilet paper.”

*thud* That’s the sound of my jaw hitting the floor.

“I asked the teachers if we should tell you and we all agreed that we would want to know if it was our child.”

“No, thank you for telling me.  I’m so sorry!”

Then she waited like I was supposed to give her a 5 step discipline plan on how it was going to be handle the situation. Trying to step away, partly because I was mortified and party because I needed to get my kids…she stops me.

“Oh, and he’s been having trouble laying still during nap time.”

“Okay, I’ll address that.”

I felt like she kicked me when I was down.  Does he do anything right?  I mean I know he’s not perfect, but he’s not horrible.  But thanks for making me feel like he is, haha.

Trying to hold my tears in I picked up my boys and brought them out to the van.  I was in a haze really, because I didn’t know what to do about this situation. In the heat of the moment I contemplated no letting him go back. Yes, yes I know that’s overkill. Then I thought he’s just a kid.  I understand he should not be tinkling on the toilet paper, but kids aren’t perfect.  They like to explore things.  I’m sure Ethan was just channelling his inner dog, haha.

I have to tell you, never did I expect to be embarrassed by my child.  I thought it was my job to be doing the embarrassing. That’s the natural cycle of life, right?

But then I had a flashback to when I was a child.  My parents have told me before that my public disobedience embarrassed them. (Like getting kicked off the bus or acting out in class  . . which is just hypothetical, haha).  They would even say that they must be bad parents and asked me to tell them how to better parent me.  (In the moment I wanted to tell them that not grounding me would work just fine.)  But when they said things like that I would be mentally “rolling my eyes” because I thought they were being a little overdramatic.
And the Academy Award goes to . . . .

Oh was I wrong.

Mom and Dad I am so sorry for not believing you!  Now I know exactly what you were talking about.  Blah, Blah, Blah, you were right! (Gosh that pains me, haha)

I keep thinking to myself, he’s only four years old. . . we are going to have some fun times.  Or as my mom likes to say, “He’s just being active, honey.”

Oh geez.

So this parenting bit is not for the faint of heart.  It’s like a long, hilly marathon.

. . .And I’m a sprinter.