Five Minute Friday : In between

This post is linked to Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo Baker.

The rules are to write for five minutes.

Today's prompt is: In Between

 

Being a parent means experiencing the "it's just a stage or phase" journey.
And I like to think that these "in between" times where we are challenged by tough habits or stages that our children go through, are the times that push us to grow even more than our children.

At least that is what I try to tell myself.

Sydney has been our most two year oldy two year old of our three kiddos.  She is working the "I do it MY - SELF!" attitude like no one else I know.  EVERY single thing takes a ton of time or no time at all.  It makes leaving the house to get places really hard or really easy.  Sometimes we are a half hour early and sometimes a half hour late ALL because of her independent two year old shenanigans.

If she takes too long to do something that she has announced by shouting "I do it!"  and time passes so I think, I'll just start to buckle her seatbelt or I'll just clear her table spot or I'll just put on her shoe or I'll just pick up the toy or I'll just zip the jacket or I'll just eat the cookie (just kidding, I would never think to take a two year olds cookie - her wrath is crazy!)  ...well, then she flips out and demands that we undo the progress I have made so she can do it herself.

The whole ordeal is crazy frustrating.

This weeks most frustrating independent activity is getting in the car and getting buckled in.  She can do it.  But the fact that she doesn't always choose to do it when I ask is hard.  So we sit.  And we encourage and we try to all be patient.  And I am learning to just plan to get in the car 10 minutes early to give her this time so that we aren't all throwing tantrums.

As parents we ride a roller coaster of ages and stages.

Sleeping through the night.
Throwing food.
learning to walk
not taking medicine
tantrum throwing
waking too early
not sitting for books
sharing or not sharing
whining
dressing and picking out their clothes
hitting
biting
running away from us
separating with daycare/babysitter
not napping
not wanting to ride in a shopping cart
climbing out of a crib
throwing food from their high chair
ONLY eating certain foods
clinging
preferring one parent to another
only watching or reading or playing with one toy/show/activity
being afraid of things
teething

....whatever the age and stage there are weeks where we hit a stride and celebrate this stride.   And other weeks we think this horrid habit or circumstance will NEVER end.

Whether you think the good week is the "in between"  or the frustrating habit is the "in between"  ... it is the roller coaster from stage to stage that makes us appreciate the good, grow from the struggles and challenges, and keeps us interested throughout the whole journey.

Cheers to the "in between" stages!
They definitely keep things interesting.

STOP!