Tantrum Time

I have often been overheard saying that I would throw a tantrum too if it was socially acceptable. Think about it, wouldn’t it be fun to throw yourself down or scream out loud in the middle of the store when you realize you can’t buy something or can’t have your way. I’m sure we would probably receive the same suspicious looks our children…no wait, correction…WE receive when our kids come unglued in public. Something tells me that just once it might be fun to get away with it. Or would it?

I can say first hand…not so fun. Ugh! Without warning a calm evening quickly turned ugly. What happened and where did I take the wrong turn. It was more of an out of body experience and I could literally hear myself saying “stop, you are out of control. If only you could see yourself”. The harder I tried to stop, the louder I became because I was no longer angry with my son for a poor choice but rather I was now getting louder because I was angry with my reaction. I am even more embarrassed to admit that I even clinched my fists and stomped my feet. Stomped my feet? Stomped my feet? STOMPED MY FEET! Really? I find myself giggling in disbelief as I am reliving it now.  

Blane and I are big fans of In the Middle (a TV show on ABC on Wednesday nights). The episode tonight was especially perfect for my nuclear meltdown. The mom on the show is experiencing her own meltdown (or as her husband tells the kids, “Your mom’s having an experience”) because the final straw for her was when she accidentally eats her son's toe nail clippings. I know, it’s enough to make anyone squirm. In the process of the “experience”, she decides to leave the house and return home to her own mother. Her mom tries to explain to her daughter that being a mom is one of the hardest things she'll ever do and it is especially difficult because you are right in the middle of it. I think we can all relate. After all, isn’t that where we get the saying, “you can't see the forest through the trees”.

The crowning moment was at the end of the show when the mom returns home and says, “Apparently I’m going to miss all this crap one day”. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

Grab a coffee (or lock yourself in your bathroom) and take a timeout to watch the episode. It’s a fun look at our adult tantrums and a great reminder to enjoy the fleeting and frustrating moments. Crap? Sure, it feels like that at times but it’s our crap and we wouldn’t want it any other way!!

xoxoxoxo

Kelly

In The Middle - Major Changes