What do you do when your 5-year-old is a better mother than you are?
Yesterday Evie was sick with a fever.
Not so sick that I was seriously concerned about her, but feeling rotten enough that she was whiny and clingy and crying at the drop of a hat. And wanting Mama to hold her nonstop...something that gets difficult at times. Finally, I just had to put her down to help Lucy get dressed. I couldn't do it one-handed. So I deposited Evie onto the couch. She had her blankie, her pacifier, her cup, and a book. But Mama was not holding her, and therefore she was crying. And crying. And crying.
My thoughts, as I hurriedly pulled Lucy's shirt over her head, went something like this: I really wish she would stop. Does she not know how annoying that unending wailing is? How it makes me want to pull my ears right off my head? I'm going to have to miss my MOPS meeting today, and probably my church small group tonight too. All my favorite chances for adult interaction, gone because of this stupid fever and this unendingly fussy child.
I ignored her cries for a another moment while I helped Lucy zip her sweatshirt, then I sighed and said to the girls, "Well, I guess I better go get crankypants."
And there was Beth, as usual, to set me straight.
"Not crankypants, Mama. SICKpants. You know she doesn't feel good, and that is probably why she is crying."
I didn't really know what to say. She was right. Evie wasn't crying just to ruin my day. She was crying because she felt really awful. And so I tucked my tail between my legs and headed out to the living room to cuddle my poor sick baby. And that's pretty much all I did the rest of the day.
Good thing Beth is learning compassion from someone. If only it were from me.
Not so sick that I was seriously concerned about her, but feeling rotten enough that she was whiny and clingy and crying at the drop of a hat. And wanting Mama to hold her nonstop...something that gets difficult at times. Finally, I just had to put her down to help Lucy get dressed. I couldn't do it one-handed. So I deposited Evie onto the couch. She had her blankie, her pacifier, her cup, and a book. But Mama was not holding her, and therefore she was crying. And crying. And crying.
My thoughts, as I hurriedly pulled Lucy's shirt over her head, went something like this: I really wish she would stop. Does she not know how annoying that unending wailing is? How it makes me want to pull my ears right off my head? I'm going to have to miss my MOPS meeting today, and probably my church small group tonight too. All my favorite chances for adult interaction, gone because of this stupid fever and this unendingly fussy child.
I ignored her cries for a another moment while I helped Lucy zip her sweatshirt, then I sighed and said to the girls, "Well, I guess I better go get crankypants."
And there was Beth, as usual, to set me straight.
"Not crankypants, Mama. SICKpants. You know she doesn't feel good, and that is probably why she is crying."
I didn't really know what to say. She was right. Evie wasn't crying just to ruin my day. She was crying because she felt really awful. And so I tucked my tail between my legs and headed out to the living room to cuddle my poor sick baby. And that's pretty much all I did the rest of the day.
Good thing Beth is learning compassion from someone. If only it were from me.
3 comments:
Oh it really is from you though! You show unending compassion in your home with those little darlings, and one moment of sarcasm does not change that. Plus even though she was sick she was still cranky also right? :) Hope she's feeling better and, as always, I'm impressed by Beth's wisdom!
Funny that I should read this today. Kaden has been cranky, and although I don't know exactly what is wrong, I do know he is feeling yucky. I also was having some of my own whiny thoughts about doesn't he realize that is annoying!? :) So Beth hit me hard too. :)
Thanks for sharing. :)
Awww. We've all been there - and will certainly be there again. Kudos for posting this and letting the rest of us mamas know we're not alone.
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