Parenthood

I am a little disappointed in myself this morning. I had a little meltdown and should have taken a timeout but instead I overreacted. Let me explain....

The kids decided to take out the reese puffs cereal this morning and start playing with it. It ended up all dumped on the carpet. This was at about 8:30, Which I then told them to clean it all up, it needed to now go in the garbage and we needed to go. I started to continue attending to my frustrating process of figuring out my email and facebook account as I needed to get a new email because my old one stopped working. I know I was already annoyed and frustrated so the kids mess did not help. I then realized what time it was (8:45) and needed to leave to take Austin to preschool. The mess was not only not cleaned up but way worse, as it was not all in one place but the kids proceeded to throw it around, at each other. I lost my temper. I was yelling and screaming at the kids to clean it up now, this was not acceptable and I was furious at them because we needed to leave or Austin was going to be late. It was agrivating because it needed to be cleaned up before we left because other wise the dogs would eat it and get very sick. The whole 5 minutes they were trying to clean it up I was yelling at them. I know I probably did not accomplish any learning from the experience techniques by my yelling. I now know I should've told them sternly to clean up the mess right now and left the room to calm myself down, a "timeout for mommy", but I didn't. I guess we learn from our mistakes.

I know that every once in a while everyone has their bad parenting moments and this was not my finest. Its very frustrating because I knew at the time I should've stopped myself from continuing but I just couldnt. I needed to get my anger out. I'm still very angry at the whole situation but now realize I'm not angry at the kids for making such a big mess but at myself for not supervising the first time I told them to clean it up. It also did not help that I was so annoyed with my email and facebook.

I know as time passes I grow. My patience for sure has gotten a lot stronger ever since Austin was born. Its a learning experience and I need to remember that. When your baby is born and you get to take it home, it does not come with an instruction manual and it should!! I'm glad though that all my children are still very young and probably will not remember this terrible mommy moment.