Today we had a moment...and, what a gawd awful moment it was. Gabe had a meltdown in the post office that probably had people thinking they needed to call Nanny 911 on me. Let me back up a little bit. I had a shitload of packages I needed to mail off...3 big boxes (and I mean BIG), 2 small ones, and a large padded envelope. I had them all ready when I went to get Joey yesterday after school and he and Gabe gladly and happily helped me carry them into the post office. There was even a sweet man who grabbed a box and held the door open for us. But, damn it, I managed to forget that yesterday was a federal holiday so we had to turn around, schlep all the packages out, and plan to come back the next day (today).
Today was a different story. All was well until we actually got in line. Gabe started trying to climb things, kick my boxes, be loud and rude to me, and wasn't that great with Joey either. Now, Gabe knows I don't tolerate that kind of behavior but, he is also smart enough to know I was stuck (cause I really needed those packages to go out). I did everything I could think of to calm him down. I tried to get him to stand with me because he was pinging off of Joey but then he started screaming "I WANT TO BE WITH JOE." It really was a no win situation. I reached a point were I looked at him and said "One more time and you are going straight to your room when we get home" at which point he started screaming "I DON"T WANT TO GO TO MY ROOM!" I think I got one chuckle from someone when they heard me tell him that "First of all, I didn't ask if you wanted to go. I said you WILL go to your room. And, second of all, I love you very much but I don't like this behavior at all." He really needed a *sharp swat to his butt but people are so hair trigger to scream abuse that all I felt comfortable doing there was a light tap on his butt. It didn't phase him. I ended up filling out the customs form on one package with him slung across my shoulder because he was attempting to run away when he was standing on the ground. Of course, me picking him up just pissed him off further so the whole post office got treated to the dulcet voice of my youngest screaming at full volume. I apologized profusely as we left the post office. Once we got home, he got one sharp swat on his butt which was enough to cut the tirade short and get him to listen to me. After he spent some time in his room, he chilled out completely and had a good evening. Geez, I should have filmed his behavior and marketed it as teenage birth control. It was enough to scare anyone off. Guess it's days like this that make me understand why tigers eat their young. Seriously, it's a good thing I love him, I worked so hard to get him here, and he is so damned cute.
*Yeah, I believe a swat to his butt has a place in the disciplinary repertoire. It should never be done out of anger but it sure can help stop a spiraling meltdown.
12 comments:
I hate going to the post office. Truly. I avoid it at all costs. Which is why I still have a box in the back of my car that I was suppose to mail to my mom a month ago . . .
I had a similar meltdown from my daughter in the grocery store. She likes the breadsticks & cheese snacks, so we were picking up some of those and some milk. As we get to the back of the store, she decides to start taking her coat off. I tell her to leave her coat on, so she takes it off and drops it on the floor. I tell her to pick up her coat. She ignores me. I tell her to pick up her coat or we're putting the breadsticks back. She ignores me. I pick up her coat, put the breadsticks back, and grab the milk. She starts throwing a screaming fit. I get in line, but don't get my money out in advance, so while I'm digging for cash, she takes off down the aisle. I chase after her, put her in a football hold, get my $2 and change out, and EVERYONE in line let me go ahead, so they could all be free of the screaming child. It was horribly embarassing, but I got all sympathetic looks. Three year olds are such fun. :)
Sorry for the comment hijack, but you're not alone!
Omg! I am so sorry! You should have taken my box and beat him with it lmao!
Poor Kristin! I love you so much, girl!
don't you love it how they know the exact moment and place that they can get away with being all out brats. at least he had a better night!
I live it when they have you cornered and you know it. My son had a melt down in the store one day and laid on the ground to throw his fit. I when I was telling him it was unacceptable and that he wasn't getting what he wanted a woman decided to interject that he was probably just tired, poor guy. Seriously. I feel very self conscious about how other people see us as parents. When we were in ShopKo one day the police were called on a man because he didn't like tone in which he spoke to his daughter who was under 5 and had run off through the store, he grabbed her to aggressively for this woman's taste. What we saw was a worried father who wanted his daughter to hear him. You never know.
I'm glad you got your packages mailed. I loath the USPS.
Post Office = Hell... absolutely!
Altho I'm not a parent, I recognize good parenting skills, and I wish you could educate some of our customers with little ones. The screams that erupt from around the Thomas the train play table in our kids section are piercing.
Hell, it scared me. I've seen those before and try very hard to resist giggling.
Oh my! I know my day is coming, fast! Even a couple cries gets me all paranoid about how others see the situation. Sorry it was hard, but glad you got those packages mailed!
Oh I've SO been there. It's fun, isn't it? Always makes me feel like a GREAT parent when that happens.
I have a very vivid memory of having a meltdown in a store when I was about 3. My mother took me out to the car & gave me a spanking & said, "Don't you EVER do that again!" And I never did. ; ) Effective.
Of course, this was back in the dark ages (early/mid 1960s). Today, someone would probably call the cops on her.
Kids pick the greatest times to have meltdowns, don't they?
Poor you! Damn presidents' day...
Just know that not EVERYONE was looking at you with judgment. I have no kids, but I definitely have a lot of sympathy for parents who are in the shoes you were in today.
Post a Comment