Today I have been subjected to non-stop bickering with the odd hit or kick thrown in for good measure.
I have suffered the intolerable wail of my four year old as he struggles to cope after refusing to go to sleep until 11pm last night.
I have been walking around with my two year old attached to my hip as he feels miserable with yet another cold.
My six year old has gone down to minus ten on his good brother points (check out how this works here!) as he winds up his brother like it is a sport. He seemed to think it was hilarious he was getting minus numbers until I informed him that minus ten meant missing out on his go with his puppy on his lap in the car. The thought of that really wiped the smile off of his cheeky face!
My eight year old would have had an argument with a teapot if he had seen one today as that's just the kind of mood he was in!
Oh, and my cute little puppy poo'd in my four year olds bedroom and then wee'd on a pile of clean clothes.................just to really feel like one of the gang who seemed to be in cahoots to wind up mum today!
People are always saying to me 'I don't know how you do it with four'! People who I have known for years think that I have this whole mum thing nailed. People who see me walking to school every day think that I have everything under control.
What these people don't see is the mummy melt downs I have when I am in the safety of my own home. I love my kids. I love being a stay at home mum. I love having four boys so close in age. BUT, I am only human and it is hard, hard work bringing up four young boys. I wouldn't change them for the world but I would be lying to you if I told you that it was a walk in the park.
Now I challenge any mum to have a day like this and not lock herself in the bathroom for a little cry or yell at the kids whilst struggling to get her words out as she is that stressed.........and then shout a little more as the kids point out she can't talk properly!
I am just a mum with a very well perfected 'everything is under control' look for the rest of the world to see. I have good days and bad days. If I used to have a mummy melt down I would feel so guilty. Now I know it is ok. It is normal. Any mum who doesn't have a melt down every once in a while must have some kind of emotional malfunction. We all love our kids to bits but at times they will push us to the limit. This doesn't mean we can't handle it. It doesn't mean we don't like being a mum. We shouldn't feel guilty for it. All it means is we are human and every now and then us humans need a little meltdown before we can return to our natural equilibrium again.
Oh and just in case you are wondering, I am sitting here writing this stinking of chicken soup where I struggled to reach my mouth whilst balancing my bowl on my two year olds legs whilst he snored away on my lap as going to sleep in his bed would just be too easy now wouldn't it! If you read my Toddler Rules post you would know exactly what I am talking about!
This post was originally written by Kerry Gibb for her blog My Boys And Me and can be found here.