For about a week now, we've had a child who is dancing at the edge, as we call it. This means they walk right to the edge of misbehavior or a temper tantrum and then at the last minute step away. It is exhausting to parent during those times as you never know when the cliff will be jumped. Today the edge was stepped on in a store as the child threw down a toy, crossing the arms as they didn't get their way. With a typical child I'd have scooped them up and out we'd gone. This is not possible with this child. Too big and they would likely have run top speed away from me which would have been incredibly upsetting to the other child with me and dangerous for the child who would have run.
Parenting children with attachment issues is a whole different kind of parenting. Yes, you must hold them accountable, but in order to safely go through the day, sometimes concessions are made. It's been a long week and Mark and I both feel as if we're walking the edge too - the edge of our own temper tantrum.
Next weekend is our anniversary and boy could we have used some time away, but that is not to be. Hopefully, next week will be calmer - hope does spring eternal, but frankly tonight, we're just very weary. Perhaps tomorrow we will all take a big step away from the edge - that would sure be nice.
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