Nerves

You know, it doesn't seem to matter how your day starts out, there will always be a day here and there when everything under the sun is going to get on your nerves, especially when it comes to your kids. I've always been one of those quiet, somewhat introverted, stick-your-nose-in-a-book-and-read-for-hours types. So how on earth did I get blessed with three energetic, boisterous little boys?

I'm not complaining about having little boys, mind you. I'm very thankful for my sons, and even more thankful that they are happy, healthy little boys with all of their energy and their quirks and everything else that makes up little boys. Remember the old rhyme? Snips and snails and puppy dog tails? Still, I have to admit that sometimes one of the biggest things that I wish for is just a few minutes of quiet time. My six-year-old, having just started school this past year, has become the typical little know-it-all. Most of the time, it's not a big deal, but trying to convince him that people really don't want him trying to tell them he knows best can be a bit of a challenge. My four-year-old, in some respects, has never left his twos. He has a tendency towards whining and meltdowns whenever something doesn't go his way, or when I try to make him do something he doesn't want to do. I remember my oldest going through all this ... I just don't remember it lasting quite this long. Maybe it's a "middle child" thing. My youngest, almost two, is pretty much a good-natured child, but he spends altogether too much time picking up his older brothers' bad habits. Needless to say, while most days around here are fairly uneventful, there are occasionally days when all three personalities converge in a massive explosion of rambunctiousness that drives this quiet-natured Mommy nuts.

I don't have any one answer to how I respond when it happens ... anything from a round of naps for everyone (including Mommy), to sending everyone to their rooms for a while, to just putting in some music or a DVD for a distraction. One of the best things in the world is when my husband comes home from work and entertains the kids where I can curl up in a hot bath with a book for about half an hour. It gives me just the re-charge time that I need to get up and go again the next day, without becoming a nervous wreck. Gotta love it!