My Meltdown
Meltdowns are pretty rare in our house. My oldest may have a meltdown once every three or four weeks maybe, for the middle child it happens a little more frequently – once every week and a half to two weeks. And of course the youngest is too young to have a meltdown yet.
The most recent meltdown was a huge one and it was all four of us melting down all at once. I should have seen it coming but I think I was too exhausted to think things through and hedge off any potential meltdown.
It had been a really crazy week as we had company staying with us. We haven’t had anyone stay with us in over a year, so that in itself was a difficult adjustment for the kids. And being as our company had come such a long distance, we tried to do as much with them as possible, which also meant late nights and lack of daytime naps. So of course everyone was exhausted!
It was bath time and I always bath all three kids together, they love to play and splash with each other in the water. Bath time is usually a lot of fun for everyone. (Well except Mom, who has to clean up the mess! But still fun.)
Just as I finished putting all three kids in the tub the middle child started screaming and crying to get out of the tub. She hadn’t even been washed yet so I quickly tried to wash her as she was crying and screaming. The baby started crying when the oldest dumped a pail of water on her head and the oldest started crying when I took him out of the tub for dumping water on the baby. So by the end of bath time all three kids were screaming. I kicked the two older kids out of the bathroom and laid the baby down on the floor to dry her off. The middle child came back in the bathroom and hit the baby in the head with the bathroom door. I got her back out of the bathroom and before I could reach down to move the baby the oldest child hit the baby in the head with the bathroom door.
By this time not only were the three kids screaming and crying but I was yelling at the two older ones, trying to hold the door, hold back my son (from slamming the door into the baby again) and trying to move the baby. I was quite upset as were all my children.
Not only did I upset my children but my company as well. I feel absolutely terrible for upsetting everybody. I rarely yell at my kids, I’ve spoken sternly or sharply but not yelling like I did that night.
But I guess even as parents we are still only human and make mistakes. As much as we want to be perfect parents, it will never happen. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and move on, trying to be the best we can be.
