The Piranha

In the fish tank that is a pre-school classroom there is one that lurks and waits.  There is the one who does not need provocation, but simply opportunity.  One, that in a moment’s notice will strike the unsuspecting.  One that will make all other parents worry about the next bite.  One that makes their own parents wonder where they went wrong.  The Piranha.

 When you look at the smile and the sweet face you would not suspect her.  When you hear her giggles and her laughter, you wouldn’t think twice.  When she cuddles into your shoulder you have no clue. But, Sophie has a problem.  Sophie likes to bite…

Emilee got the call on a Friday.  “You need to come get Sophie, she is no longer welcome at school.”  Emilee was taken aback.  “What do you mean?” she asked.  The assistant director then explained to Emilee that Sophie had bitten another child, again, and was being expelled from school until the problem was worked out.  If it ever got worked out.

Emilee was understandably upset.  No parent wants to hear that their kid is being ejected from school.  No parent wants to hear that their kid has hurt someone else.  Furthermore, this was done without a previous word from the school, and now she has to figure out how to make sure that Sophie has someone to watch her until our summer plan can take effect.

I don’t ever want my kids to be the bully or the victim.  But, how do you work with an 18 month old who does not understand their actions?  How do you connect with your kid when you aren’t even sure of the trigger?  How do you keep from getting frustrated with the whole set of circumstances?

We think we know what is going on.  Sophie has acted like this before when she has had ear trouble.  And, it just so happens, that she is having ear trouble again.  She is set to have her tubes removed and replaced along with having her adenoids removed.  It’s a pretty big deal to be on your second set of tubes at 18 months.  We are praying that this is the fix.

But what if it isn’t; then what?  Do we muzzle her for the protection of others?  Do we get bite necklaces or a leather strap or a bullet?  How do you teach a child with zero attention span to not bite?  I already checked, and shock collars are frowned upon in this case.  Well, pretty much all cases…

If anyone out there that reads this (all two of you) has any suggestions, please let us know.  We need our children to be able to go to school and get along with the other kids.  I am already pretty sure that Sophie is going to be the leader of some biker gang one day, and would like to postpone that transition as long as possible.  I love my kids so very much.  I just wish that once in a while they could make it easy to watch them grow up!

Keep Smiling,

Rob

Tantrums & Tiggers: A Disney Fun Guide

It really shouldn’t surprise me that in the middle of exiting Space Mountain Gracie would ask “what’s next?”  I mean we just spent 90 seconds on one of the most fun rides in existence.  A ride that she screamed and giggled though all of the dips, drops, and hairpins.  A ride, I might add, that she had just ridden for the third time in 30 minutes due to Emilee’s expert use of the Fast Pass and Parent Swap system.  A ride she begged to go on, on our third day at the Magic Kingdom, after having ridden it ten times already this trip.  I know my daughter and she can be the consummate brat.  But when I explained to her that it was time to go find something that Gage and Sophie could enjoy I was a bit put off by her answer.  “I never get to do anything fun…”

I was pretty sure that Gracie was not going to make it much further in life.  She was on day four of a Disney trip and her little snot attitude was still in effect.  Plus, Emilee had the flu, Emilee’s Dad was getting sick and in full blown denial about it, and Gage and Sophie were both in the middle of a stomach bug.  I was not in a good place, and the last thing I needed was a seven year old telling me, in the middle if Disney, that she never got to anything fun.  I could hear the news teaser…

“Dad loses it at Disney and accidentally wipes out entire family wearing matching lime green Mickey shirts.  Details at Six!”

But, right before I lost it she told me she had found something she thought I would “totally love”.  She had been looking through the magic bands and had found something for me.  And, she was right!  As she took me over to the specialty bands I saw it; there was Tigger!  And, Tigger just happens to be my favorite character in the Disney world. So, in a matter of two minutes, the kid I was ready to kill was now the kid I wanted to kiss. She had actually shown me that she did look out for someone other than herself from time to time.

Her brother and sister managed to find ways to both drive us crazy and make us laugh.  It seemed like every time we were ready to pinch one of their little heads off, out of love of course, they would do something that made you laugh and smile.  The looks of awe on Gage’s face as he met the characters, or the complete vanishing act that Sophie would pull off if they ever appeared.  The amazement on their faces when they got to watch the Giraffes, Zebras, and other animals as they passed just below our balcony of the room we stayed in.  Or, the massive meltdowns they would have when they were forced to come inside. The pre-meal rages and prison riot like screaming for food, all so they could ignore 90% of the food on their plate  and then claim to be full.  Well, at least Gracie and Gage acted that way.  Sophie puts down food like some kind of Olympic athlete in training.  And, of course there was rain...

  

It seems Karma gets involved too.  After I had one of MY tantrums, Emilee, who would not know a Stormtrooper from Snuffleupagus unless I was there to point it out, was questioned by two of them! They wanted to know her part in the rebel alliance and wanted her to know that they would be “keeping an eye on her”.  All of this while I waited with a complaining Gracie and Gage for Handy Manny’s autograph.  I would have been speechless, and it was a non-event for her.  I learned my lesson after that event.  Tantrums lead to bad karma. Lol

At least we found something the kids loved every day.  Staying at Animal Kingdom gave us the benefit of the kids seeing exotic animals at breakfast, and when we came home at night.  We had our daily viewing of the many giraffes, zebras, and other African animals that would walk by our balcony every day.  Watching them get excited about each viewing and listening to their excited ramblings about what they saw was amazing.  It made you wake up happy and go to bed happy.  If you can start and end your day well it makes everything ok. It made me appreciate the good, and not remember the bad so much. 

 

Disney is a contraindication.  It is one of the most frustrating places on the planet, and one of the most rewarding.  It is a place that brings out the best and worst in your kids.  It is a place where both young and old can find something to make them happy.  And even as it completely wipes you out, you find it and your kids refilling your spirit. And I found one more pic for your entertainment...

Keep Smiling,

Rob

What Did You Expect

“Mommy, I need your phone.”  Those were the words I heard from Gage at 4:45am Saturday morning.  Emilee tried to work through the haze to tell Gage that it was too early to be up and that he needed to go to bed.  He muttered something about being bored and walked to his room.  About five minutes later he returned to tell Emilee that he needed to go to the bathroom.  She got up and helped him get his business done, and then he wandered back down the hall and finally went back to sleep.  She rolled over and asked me why he was up at 4:45am on a Saturday.  My simple reply was “what did you expect”?

You see, our kids have the amazing ability to read when we have the opportunity to sleep or relax.  The same kids that have to be pried out of bed during the week fly out of bed on the weekends.  The same kids who fight tooth and nail to get up at 6:30 and get ready for school are up and ready to go tackle any event by 5am … on the weekends.   Always with the contradictions with these two.

The same kids who can’t find a way to share a single Lego out of a thousand piece set are always found in the same bed.  The kids who can’t seem to get along can’t ever be pulled apart.  If she goes, he has to.  If he is in the middle of something she has to be right there.  If one has something, then the war starts as to why they have to have the same Capri Sun or cup, but then you look over and they are laying all over each other watching TV.

And they have started to pull Sophie into the gang.  She follows them constantly.  Sometimes you hear crying and sometimes you see sweetness.  Sometimes there are arguments, and sometimes they share wonderfully.  They read to each other, and they throw books at each other’s heads.  They fight like crazy and they already watch out for each other.  I really hope that stays intact. Too many of us start that way and drift. 

I wonder how tight Kelly and I were when we were that little.  I know we didn’t always have the best relationship, but it has gotten better over the past few years.  I hope my little guys don’t have to go through the rough spots that Kelly and I went through.  But, do know that watching my kids figure things out makes me think that they might be smarter than we were.  AT least I hope so for their sake.

We have a long way to go to see how this turns out.  I know there are going to be epic battles and I hope sincere make-ups.  Whatever they go through I hope they understand that Emilee and I are always here to take care of them.  Even if we would rather be sleeping in…

Keep Smiling,

Rob