One of those days

Today was One Of Those Days.

You know the one - the day where the minutes seem to drag by like hours, where you're constantly feeling on edge because YOU KNOW your spirited child is in a bad mood, and that means: 'watch out world, I feel like s#$t and I'm going to make sure you know it! oh and did I mention I'm going to try my darndest to make sure you feel as bad, if not worse?!'

When V is in one of 'those moods' the good moments are few and far between and the majority of the day seems to be devoted to her having meltdowns and other dramatic behaviour. Sometimes I can predict what will trigger it, other times it seems to happen randomly, as though she does it just because she can. You end up feeling as though your child is holding you hostage, and you will do anything to avert the behaviour because it reaches a point where you just can't stand it anymore, where you don't even want to be in the same house as your own child.

At this point, you start thinking how nice a desert island would be (either to leave the screaming child on or yourself).

I know sensory sensitivities are common with spirited children. V is very sensitive to loud noises and also her hands being dirty. She literally cannot tolerate anything being on her hands - sticky hands are one of the quickest ways to a meltdown.

When V has a meltdown it typically ends up in her wailing. She will stand still and wail like a baby, with tears streaming down her face. This generally lasts up to ten minutes, unless I am able to distract her quicker. Things that other kids would be blase about can set her off. It could be bumping her head slightly, tripping up, dropping something, not knowing where one of her toys is, getting her hands dirty..... you get the idea. It can be caused by nothing, and everything.

Anyway, getting back to the subject of todays blog post. Today was an awful day, and one where I felt completely defeated.

Nothing we did was right today, and everything seemed to set V off.  Did she want to eat breakfast? nope. Get dressed? of course not! not that I keep count, but I can safely say that today was a record day for meltdowns and if she wasn't wailing she was whining. And as parents we all know how annoying that sound is. The sound of fingernails down a blackboard would be a symphony compared to the grating noise of my child continually whining.

All I can say is..... thank god for bedtime (and for wine!)