Thursday, February 10, 2011

In which the highland cattle and I wear our angry faces...


Sometimes I catch myself being particularly snappy and on a very short parenting fuse.  Tonight was one such occasion.  It had been a long day.  I was tired and I was cross with the Mint after she sat on my sun hat squashing it beyond all recognition.  She then proceeded to tip out a bag of beads I had just tidied up.  I started to shout at her and then caught a glimpse of myself through her eyes.  She crumpled and scrambled to try and clean up.  I realised she hadn't been intentionally naughty.  Sometimes it's hard to be good when you're only two.  So I took a deep breath, regrouped and decided I needed to take a different tack.  I closed my eyes and mustered all my inner calm to say, 'thank you Mint, you are doing such a good job helping to tidy up.'  I was more than rewarded for my efforts when she replied in a small voice, 'Thanks for letting me help…  I just love you guys'.  I'm really going to try harder to cut the kid a break… at least until she sits on another hat.



I took these pictures during our walk this afternoon.  We went to visit some highland cattle that live in a paddock near our house.  Unfortunately the cattle weren't up for having their photos taken.  It was hot and muggy and they were all sheltering under a tree on the opposite side of the paddock.  Minty thought they had their 'angry faces' on.  She was probably right.

1 comment:

  1. You are definitely not the only one who finds yourself snappy and on a short parenting fuse. Sometimes it's just hard not having a whole community of carers and big kids around to relieve the one-on-one pressure!

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