Where can I go... to be alone?
Ah. Life with a 2 year old. Life with a 2 year old means coming upstairs to the ominous sound of a buzzing electric toothbrush and the discarded box of your new tube of toothpaste and feeling instant panic. I walked into my ensuite to find my Girly precariously perched on the back of her little potty leaning over the sink holding the whirling toothbrush in her teensy hand. "I bwush my teef, Mom!" Yes, and your arms and face and tummy and leg and who knows what else. ugh.
There is never a dull moment in the Mighty house and that is usually just fine. I have to say that I do really cherish the quiet moments, the cuddles and kisses, the story time, but most of all, the solitary moments. I really need my alone time. Quiet and still and utterly alone moments where I can read a book or just sit and think.
In a home with 4 kids and one in which we home educate, there are very few opportunities to be alone. And quiet is almost unheard of. And if the quiet comes while the children are in the home and awake, it is actually undesirable. Every mom knows that quiet equals destruction. Almost. every. time.
My kids have decided that Mommy's room and bed are where they want to spend their time. Bouncing on my bed. Wrestling their dad to the bed. Having snacks and watching a video. (getting crumbs in my bed) Bringing in a bag of toys and spreading them around my room. Dancing, pushing, jumping, screeching, fighting, crying all in my sanctuary. I love my kids to pieces and I adore having some cuddles with them all tucked up snug in my bed. But, to be honest, I would rather have my room to myself. I have very little space of my own and I would rather not roll over in bed onto a lego.
I have tried to set limits, and to enlist my husband's help. Read: Screaming at the top of my lungs, "No wrestling in Mommy's bed! Mommy's bed is for sitting and cuddling. No Jumping!!! BRENT!!!" while cowering under my pillow, making a sound reminiscent of the wicked witch melting in water, and trying to avoid being trampled IN MY OWN BED! But Mom's room is still their favourite place to be. I guess that must be because it is my favourite place to hang out as well. And they kinda like me.
I like them too, and there is no one else on earth I would rather spend time with. Except maybe myself. Someday.
ps: I am feeling much better already, head cold almost obliterated!
There is never a dull moment in the Mighty house and that is usually just fine. I have to say that I do really cherish the quiet moments, the cuddles and kisses, the story time, but most of all, the solitary moments. I really need my alone time. Quiet and still and utterly alone moments where I can read a book or just sit and think.
In a home with 4 kids and one in which we home educate, there are very few opportunities to be alone. And quiet is almost unheard of. And if the quiet comes while the children are in the home and awake, it is actually undesirable. Every mom knows that quiet equals destruction. Almost. every. time.
My kids have decided that Mommy's room and bed are where they want to spend their time. Bouncing on my bed. Wrestling their dad to the bed. Having snacks and watching a video. (getting crumbs in my bed) Bringing in a bag of toys and spreading them around my room. Dancing, pushing, jumping, screeching, fighting, crying all in my sanctuary. I love my kids to pieces and I adore having some cuddles with them all tucked up snug in my bed. But, to be honest, I would rather have my room to myself. I have very little space of my own and I would rather not roll over in bed onto a lego.
I have tried to set limits, and to enlist my husband's help. Read: Screaming at the top of my lungs, "No wrestling in Mommy's bed! Mommy's bed is for sitting and cuddling. No Jumping!!! BRENT!!!" while cowering under my pillow, making a sound reminiscent of the wicked witch melting in water, and trying to avoid being trampled IN MY OWN BED! But Mom's room is still their favourite place to be. I guess that must be because it is my favourite place to hang out as well. And they kinda like me.
I like them too, and there is no one else on earth I would rather spend time with. Except maybe myself. Someday.
ps: I am feeling much better already, head cold almost obliterated!
Oh, I am right there with you. I even "have" to give up one of my pillows, my favorite pillow, when Olivia climbs into bed with us every morning because that is her favorite pillow too. When they are sick our bed is where they want to be, every bedtime snack, yep in our bed. At least they do go to sleep in their own beds, whether we have to visit them a few times throughout the night is hit or miss, but I do get at least two hours of quiet before I hit the sack.
ReplyDeleteThanks for submitting some questions!! :)
We TRY to keep the kids out of our room, too. I don't blame you.
ReplyDeletewe spend lots of time in mommy's bed, every morning we hang while he watches cartoons and i pretend not to be awake. some nights we all end up in there at the end of the day, and sometimes nap time is on mommies bed-not so much lately cause the nap part stopped happening. we dress kids, change kids, play with toys, watch tv....
ReplyDeletehey at least i have the option of lying down!(sometimes)
There with you too, Mama. I don't get alone time too often but it is very much cherished when it happens...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by ~ it is nice to meet you :)
I have 4 kids, so I know most of which you speak!! I didn't home school my kids, but I still think I know what you mean by needing "quiet/alone time"! I loved the sweet toothbrush/paste story - too cute!
ReplyDeleteHave a good evening. Kellan
Wow - and I thought I had trouble with 1 monkey (2-year-old) jumping on my bed...
ReplyDeleteI only have one, as you know. He goes with me everywhere. It is a pain when you have to lug the bouncy into the bathroom with you . . .
ReplyDeleteI guess the awesome thing is that they WANT to be near you . . . imagine that?!?!
I totally get this...my boys always hang out in my room, too. But I have forbidden them from bringing any snacks into my bed. I detest crumbs in my bed.
ReplyDeleteAnd you know, in a few short years, we'll probably be wishing they'd want to hang out with us...
Heidi
The kids love to watch tv in our bed. I dont mind most of the time. But I have kicked them out before.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have also found myself watching tv in the boys room because its the only quiet place in the house.
I remember when I was little that my parents bed was the most comfortable place to be. Caleb makes the same comments about my room that I made about my parents room... I guess thats why I don't mind them being in there.
I just wrote a post about our bedroom and this very issue with kids being in there all the time...I haven't posted it yet and reading this makes me want to! Just have to tell you that my 10 year old daughter is driving me CRAZY right now!!!!! She went to bed grouchy and weepy and she woke up that way. Everything is bad and cry-worthy, everything is something to be depressed about. I'm 39 and so I have an excuse when I'm that way, right? But she's TEN! Argggg!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've only got two of 'em, but I'm with you. I need my freaking space already.
ReplyDelete