Please note the late hour and the fact that I am still awake even though I have to work tomorrow and have been overwhelmed and exhausted...but I had to get this out of my system.
My dearest Michael- who HATES going to bed/sleep in his own bed- decided to occupy himself with a bottle of baby lotion this evening. I don't usually leave those things within his reach but I was a bit unfocused tonight. I went upstairs to check on him about an hour ago (because I just knew he was up to something) and HOLY LOTION! He had managed to use about 70% of a new bottle on various parts of himself and the room.
Now, I realize there are worse things than lotion but have you ever tried to clean this stuff up? It is so GREASY. I was upset to the point of tears. Michael has never done anything quite like that before. Luckily, most of it appears to have been rubbed onto his pj's or into the carpet. His carpet is in good condition but not perfect- so if there are any stains, I am sure we will deal with them just fine. I also had to wash his bedding and the fabric part of his clothes hamper.
I was PISSED! It could have been so much worse but it was still a chore. Michael didn't like the fact that I was crying. And I think he understood that I was upset by the mess he created. And I am hoping that will be a deterrant.
Michael has been VERY defiant for almost a week...I can't figure out what his deal is. But he is in one of those phases where EVERYTHING is a problem. And as he is getting older, he's a bit more aggressive and quite a bit harder to persuade. He really could care less about a time out or revoking a privilege or whatEVER. I have no leverage...and apparently, no authority...sigh.
I am all out of behavior modification ideas...I need a new game plan. Because next time, he could make a mess with something far worse than lotion. And I can't really even think about that one...
On the positive side: his skin is as soft as it was on the day he was born...
4 comments:
Oh...this would burn me up! Lily tore up one of her favorite books during nap one time...and I just about lost my mind. And I didn't even have a big mess to clean up!
Michael is almost 3? Could you try a reward chart? Start focusing on the positive...getting things...versus the negative...taking things away? I don't know if he is too young, but Andrew and I made one when he was about 3...it was a small chart with space for 6 chores/goals. Andrew decided on the reward we were working towards. Then I got to pick 3 chores/goals (mine were things like eat a vegetable and clean up 15 things off the floor) and Andrew got to pick 3 (his were LAME...like, share with Lily and get out his own fork and spoon for meals). Anyway, it worked really well for us, although it is how we ended up with this damn fish that won't die. Seriously...2 years? DIE FISH DIE.
Oh, sorry...some pent up aggression there. Back to you...Andrew's involvement in thinking of the chores was cute and it ensured that he would earn stickers every day. We had a small reward for when he filled up a row (like a bag of gummies, I think) and then when he filled the whole chart he earned the big prize.
Sorry to write a book...although it is making me think that I should do that again. He is soooo unmotivated to help out around the house...hmmm...
OH honey! I'm so sorry; that is SO frustrating. This pre-school age is NOT my favorite. Everything is SUCH a struggle.
I know Kelsey (at mdwestmom) had to deal TWICE with Harper unloading tubs of Vaseline. She wrote a post about how they finally got the vaseline out of her hair. Might go back and check that out; it probably would help you with clean up.
Oh, I'm sorry, big messes really upset me (and they always happen at the least convenient times). I feel like Katy goes through phases where she is visably more defiant and nothing works. I've heard from multiple people that from 2.5 to 3.5 was the hardest, so maybe this is it? Hopefully it will swing down a little.
That last line is precious...
Re-entry into motherhood of a preschooler has not been easy for me. There is something really negative seeping out of me right now anyway, but your post gives me a clue that I am not alone in this.
I have thought 5 times per hour today that I am not going to be able to keep up with this little man of mine.
It reminds me of the time my mom woke up to 2 tubes of toothpaste smeared all over the hallway because it was used as the adhesive for the toilet paper. My younger brother was 3 at the time.
God give all of us strength because I am CERTAIN their determination is naturally stronger than ours. Our job is to summon up the counter attack in a preventative way.
Sleep well and may your tomorrow be easier.
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