Do I just not deal with parenthood well?

[Anonymous]

The poor dog gets my pent-up frusteration. I had a similar incident and ended up screaming at the dog to get out of the kitchen. I mean pure demon-like screaming. Sure, she tripped me and I almost got really hurt, but she's a dog. I felt horrible and then I felt worse because my 3.5 year old son started to justify my behaviour - "It's OK you yelled at the dog because you were trying to cook and she got in your way." Great, I've taught my son that abuse is justified. So I apologized to my son and my dog (not sure if the dog understood, but it was for my son's benefit). I find telling your kids after the fact that mommy was frusterated but shouldn't have yelled like that - at least helps to understand that yelling isn't the right thing.

But - wouldn't anyone yell getting burned? If that is what it took for you to lose your cool, I'd say you are doing great!

And when I see a mom who can keep her cool all the time, I always wonder - what drugs is she on

[Anonymous]

I sympathize. It isn't that you don't handle it well, you are doing the best you can!

You know what I've noticed? When I get home from work after a long day, pick the kids up from daycare, and start trying to get dinner ready, I find I'm always telling the kids no. No, I can't do that with you, mommy has to cook dinner. No I can't play with you, I have to change clothes. No, I can't do this, because mommy has to do x. I think I was so harried that I just didn't realize how frustrating it was for my kids, who were dying for a share of my time!

When you get home, screw dinner - spend 30 minutes with your kids with no distractions. I am almost certain you'll see a vast improvement.

If that works for you, invest in some 20-minute recipe cookbooks so you can do dinner in less time. Or a crockpot, so you have less prep when you walk in the door after work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, doesn't sound like you handle it very well.

Perhaps you just forgot to add a happy face emoticon?

[Anonymous]

I feel your pain, OP, and I only have 1.

This morning, I thought, what compels us to have children? Was it an excess of money, or an excess of happiness, or both?

And I love my baby, I really, truly do. I'm just so tired.

[Anonymous]

I've done that too!!! Today I found french fries in the oven from last night (luckily the oven was off). This morning I made a coffee with our super duper espresso machine and wondered why it tasted different--I was drinking a cup of steamed milk--forgot to push the 'espresso' button.

It does get alot better---but I also think it is very hard to work out of the house and have the commutes, etc. I wah now and it has made such a big difference...well apparently not that much according to my above statements. ha! We all snap at our kids occassionally---it's human nature.

[Anonymous]

While yelling at my two kids - who were fighting and throwing crap at each other - as I bent down to pick up their mess, I banged my head on the corner of our Corian countertop. (That stuff is hard.) I saw stars, thought I had concussion, and had a bump that lasted almost a month.

I literally feel your pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, doesn't sound like you handle it very well.

said the mom who masks her feelings with anti-anxiety pills

[Anonymous]

aw, OP here, thank you, these were the sweetest replies! (as I sloppily type with my left hand due to the blisters on my right, lol!).

Later on that night my 2-year old must have picked up that something was amiss and came over and gave me a big hug and said "I'm happy, Mommy". $hit like that makes it all worth it...