Some days you just wake up already tired of the day. Nothing happened. You really have no reason to be upset. You are just already at the end of the imaginary rope. 

It’s days like this that you really have to dig deep for your little one. It’s not uncommon. I don’t think. Some days you have reach into the acting bag to show the appropriate amount of enthusiasm for sitting in the dirt and playing with your 3 year old. Scratch that, not playing with, but being told what not to touch and how to sit and to stop playing like that because that’s not how you do it! And on days like these you really have to dig around the bottom of the Mary Poppins bag so that you don’t also act like a 3 year old and throw dirt yelling, “well fine then! I didn’t want to play with you anyway! I’d rather sit here by myself anyway, poopy head!” Because you know, that’s such inappropriate behavior for a mom. 

This “rope” that you are barely hanging on to begins to become quite frayed at the end. 

And when there are days like this it makes everything even harder when your little one gets an awful bout of, oh let’s say, the worst smelling diarrhea. Don’t wince. This is real life. This is what happens. Don’t worry this little tummy upset won’t slow your little one down one bit. In fact, it just makes him a little more like the hulk. 

Then your sassy threenager tells you that “you should just go inside mommy and put on clothes (I was in my pjs) and shoes like everybody else or just go back in the house and leave me alone”. This is of course when you are informing the dear one that he needs to come in the house for several reasons. You are now hanging on to about a third of that frayed rope. For dear life. 

So now it’s bath time. Which goes fine. It’s uneventful. You take this time to breathe and smile at your sweet darling who is actually being a sweet darling. And you think it’s going to be a good end to the day. It’s ok he’s said my name 1,206 times today. Then…

After dinner he will ask for another bath. His argument will be, “I need a bath so I can get wrinkled. Please mommy sometimes I just want more baths to get wrinkled. ” this turns into tears which turns into guilt. Which eventually turns into another flipping bath. Where you argue about the amount of bath toys in the bath that you really don’t feel like drying off for the second time tonight. And why is it anyway that he must play with his regular toys in the bath? Anyone else having fun with that one?  

One thread left! 

After that fun fiasco, you lay down for bed. You say, “I love you.” Nothing. “You know mama loves you right?” He says, “I’m going to ride a horse one day.” You say, “of course! I love you.” He says, “uh huh. I want to watch a movie.” You say, “ok. I love you sweetie!” To which you finally get, “yes mama. Ok. I love you too”.

And it’s all ok. It was all worth it. The day is over. Tomorrow you will wake up and this imaginary rope will be back at its appropriate length. And the little one will not remember long that yesterday you were impatient. An imperfect mom. It will only be something that you remember.