I swore I’d never be that parent that needed to force their child into silence when they were crying. Bullying, cajoling, forcing, somehow, that child to stop their fit, silence their sobs, and cease the waterworks.
Certainly, I’d never intimidate them through gritted teeth, telling them, “Stop your crying or I’ll give you something to cry about!”
Yet there are moments. Little pieces of time when the whole infinite universe shrinks down to that one tiny voice in the dark. And the noise coming out of them? Well it just makes my head crawl and my teeth clench, and every nerve in my body shrieks, “MAKE THAT CHILD STOP MAKING THAT NOISE!!!”
That’s when mommy needs a time out. I look away, take a breath, go to another room, say calmly, “That’s enough. Pull yourself together, or…” whatever fun thing we had planned will no longer be happening.
Yep. Means be damned, I’m that mom.
Crap.
Jan
20