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I’m headed out this morning, we are going to the P-A-R-K as a surprise for Roo. Not the big park. The little park, with the gate and the achievable climbs and the noticeable lack of death defying Evil Knievil jump opportunities. It’s the last fine, fine, sunshine-y day for awhile, so we’re cutting and running.

Tuesday’s are often my hardest days with Roo behaviour-wise. Monday is Daycare Day and Tuesday is Dread-Day.

I’m not sure if it’s because Roo has had such a lovely, yet tiring day at daycare; or if it’s because I’ve had a calm, quiet day (usually) with the boys and the changed dynamic in the house that I am less patient with my little drama queen darling princess.

It starts at breakfast. Whatever I offer she doesn’t want. So I stopped offering.

Now Breakfast time goes like this:

“Mumma? Bekfasht?”
“Yep, go sit in your big girl chair.”
“Bick Goull Schair!!!”
“Yep. Big girl chair,”
“Noooo. No bick goull schair!”
“Go on, hop into your chair please.”
“No!”
Mumma places Roo in big girl chair.
“Mumma? Cawn Flhakes!”
“OK. Corn flakes it is. I’ll just get you a bowl.”
“Nooo! No cawn flhakes, Mumma!”
“OK, well I’m making the boys some toast.” Read: I will deal with you when they are happy stuffing food in their mouths.
“Mumma?”
“Yes?”
“Mumma?”
“Yes?”
“MUMMA!”
I do my best not to yell back:
“Yes, Rory, I am listening to you.”
“Behmite toast?”
“You would like some Vegemite toast?”
“NoooYYYES!”
“Vegemite toast?”
“Yes!”
“OK, Vegemite toast it is.”
Make toast and place in front of her.
“Nooooo, Mumma! NO toast!“
“You asked for Vegemite toast.”
“No (pushes plate away) want Nunny (honey) toast.”
“I’m not getting you honey toast. I’ve made vegemite toast, eat it up please.”
Cue meltdown.

Most days are the same – but on Tuesdays I cannot distract her, I cannot appease her and the tantrums come thicker and faster than my contractions in my induced labour with her.

So this morning, we are having breakfast. Yoghurt and strawberries (because no child in their right mind refuses such a breakfast). Their clothes are ready to be changed into immediately afterwards. I am getting ready whilst Roo and the Two eat their brekky. We are getting in the pram and we are going. And we are going to swing and slide and climb and walk and crawl and eat dirt until we are all Parked out. And then we are coming home, the children will sleep, I will study and tweet and pretend that this blip on the radar of childhood is over and never to be revisited.

TA-DA! It will be like magic!

And NO ONE will tell me other wise. Got it?

Is there one particular day your toddler is less than your favourite person? Or does it last all week? Or is your toddler perfect and this kind of behaviour is only dealt out to mothers with severely limited patience? What are your strategies for dealing with mornings like this? Cut and run ( to the park, like me) or stay and fight?

With Diary of a SAHM (click the button and it will take you there)

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