Can You Say Rebellion? | Giftie Etcetera: Can You Say Rebellion?

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Can You Say Rebellion?

Ugh. It's only 7:30 a.m. and already, Ander has been in timeout. And MIL isn't even here yet.

Last night, Ander coughed and sniffled. Finally, at midnight, he was totally crying every two or three minutes. I kept going to check on him, and when I would almost get to his room, he would already be back asleep. He was choking, in his sleep, so bad that I went and got him out of the crib. Let me take this opportunity to say that we have totally stopped bringing him to our bed at night, but he was really suffering. I took him out and held him for a while. Finnaly, he looked at me sadly and whispered, "Momma." I put him down and took his hand, and he lead me to my bed. Sigh. I'm glad I got to watch him all night, because the fever and coughing were awful, but I am really scared that he will think that if he cries, he gets to sleep with us. I don't mind letting him cry (well, I did last night, but that was a real "it hurts" cry and not just a "mommy, I want out of bed" cry), but MIL will be sleeping in the next room. Ah, well, that what happens when you stay with parents of a young child, right?

This morning, Ander walked around the living room and touched all the "no nos." He touched the night light. He picked up the remote and changed the channel, and refused to give it back to me, so the remote went in timeout. He was specifically warned, as he approached the carbon monoxide detector, not to touch it or he would go in timeout. He touched it anyway. So I put him in timeout. After five seconds (he gets fifteen in timeout), he left timeout and went for the remote!!! (It was out of reach, but he tried.) I put him back. This time he stayed, and then hugged me sorry, and then behaved, but I'm exhausted and the day hasn't started yet.

I really think he is still tired, but he won't lie still, so I put him in his crib. He's been crying for three minutes, but he keeps taking longer and longer breaks from crying, so hopefully he will go to sleep soon. He is sooooo tired. But he is probably confused, because we never put him in his crib awake during the day. But lying with me he's pulling my hair and beating me in the face, so crib it is.

Ugh.

Tantrums and rebellions get less annoying, right?

Etcetera.

6 comments:

Mamaebeth said...

tantrums and rebellion? i don't know if i would even call that trantrum and rebellion.

sick, miserable child who cannot control himself? definitely.
you can (and should) have different rules when you are sick. sick kids can have fries and cookies for dinner and to sleep with mommy and daddy.

hope he feels better before MIL gets here.

so far tantrums have not gotten less annoying and/or embarassing for me.

Anonymous said...

NO, they don't.

And don't let him think that just because he's sick he's able to do all the things that normally he's not supposed to (extra cuddle time with mom and dad doesn't count--and he's been in his nighttime routine long enough not to regress b/c you let him in the bed one night). If you start this montra now, he'll be having tummy aches everyday there's a big test at school ;)

Frog said...

I agree with Stacie. Yes, cuddling time with mommy and daddy is okay, but to misbehave because he's sick is still not acceptable.

Oh, MIL time.... fun, fun!!

Giftie Etcetera said...

Um, I don't think I called it a tantrum. It's just that tantrums have started too (though not today, yet) so I made a general observation about them while I was talking about what did happen, which was clearly rebellion. I know my child. He looked around after the warning, made sure I was watching, and then acted out. That's pretty rebellious, and he could control it. Being sick doesn't make him stupid - just clingy and whiney. But touching the carbon monoxide detector is never allowed, sick or not. He got away with the nightlight and the remote because a) he didn't get a sufficient warning and b) he was sick and I gave him some leeway. I shouldn't have given him leeway, though, because he went for something more dangerous!

Anonymous said...

He must have learned something from his cousin Destiny when she came visit! hahahahaaha ok, sorry.

Mamaebeth said...

i think we just have different ways of describing the same behavior.

and just to clarify i meant rules about eating and sleeping. JD is never allowed to touch electric outlets, for instance, regardless of being sick.