Anonymous
10/13/2020 22:58
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
I have an almost 4 year old girl and I swear she accidentally headbutts me 3 times a week. It really hurts!
It’s normal, OP. They just don’t have very good awareness of their surroundings.
It’s normal, OP. They just don’t have very good awareness of their surroundings.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 22:57
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
This is life with kids. Talk to them about being gentle, but it won't do anything, and it gets much better as they get older. My DH had an awful eye infection from my now 2nd grader poking him in the eye with a dirty finger once. My kids regularly jump on his crotch - I tell him he should wear a cup at all times, LOL.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 22:51
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
My husband reacts like this over such (what I perceive as) minor physical pain and it bugs the crap out of me. I want to say, "buck up!" but I just internally roll my eyes.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 22:49
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
I feel you. My kids are constantly stepping on me, pulling at me, or climbing on me. Some of it is ok. Some not. But I get so much touch taking care of the kids all day that come bedtime the last thing I want is another person touching me. Poor DH.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 22:41
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
Anonymous wrote:My best friend’s four-year-old broke her nose in the middle of the night. He slammed back into her with his head while he was throwing up (stomach bug). She had to drive herself to the hospital so her DH could stay with the kids.
Parenting is not for the weak.
Mine nearly broke my eye orbit. Kleen kanteen to the face. I was dead asleep and she wanted a refill. In her defense it was unintentional, she was sleeping next to me and we have black out curtains. No more water bottles in bed after that. I had a black eye for two weeks.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 21:18
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
My best friend’s four-year-old broke her nose in the middle of the night. He slammed back into her with his head while he was throwing up (stomach bug). She had to drive herself to the hospital so her DH could stay with the kids.
Parenting is not for the weak.
Parenting is not for the weak.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 21:00
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
Didn’t savannah Guthrie’s daughter or son throw a train and detach her retina? This post made me think of that.
My kids are 4, 5 and a baby. They are killing me slowly - not so much the rough housing but carrying the baby and picking things up is killing my knees. And my back. No solutions just commiserating.
My kids are 4, 5 and a baby. They are killing me slowly - not so much the rough housing but carrying the baby and picking things up is killing my knees. And my back. No solutions just commiserating.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 20:48
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
OP I'm the same. Last night my 3 year old jumped off his wooden step stool and it came crashing down on my foot.
It's never intentional. And I don't like it either. It'll pass though.
It's never intentional. And I don't like it either. It'll pass though.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 20:39
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
Anonymous wrote:How old are you?
Is this tongue in cheek? 37
Anonymous
10/13/2020 20:13
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
How old are you?
Anonymous
10/13/2020 20:12
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if physicality is the right word but it’s the best way for me to explain it. I have two kids - pre-school and first grade. Generally speaking they are great. They have their moments but we all do. But I really really struggle with the amount that I’m physically hurt by them. I tend not to be the roughhousing parent so this is not in the course of wild play. It’s just things that happen over the course of the day. Like tonight I was laying in bed with my four year old and he jumped into the bed and landed on me. Hard. I screamed and was exasperated. I was better within a few seconds but it was so disconcerting. This happens multiple times per week if not sometimes daily. While I try to explain to my kids that they shouldn’t do that, it’s not purposeful but rather part of their play. I don’t like the way I react but it’s truly primal. I’m so disoriented in the moment.
Any thoughts or ideas? I am sure this will fade with the years but in the moment it’s tough.
Just tell them that they need to be more gentle and aware of not hurting you. Kids are capable of more than people think. A first grader would definitely be able to jump into a bed yet be aware enough not to jump on top of you. And that first grader could be a role model for your younger one.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 20:09
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
I get it, OP. My daughter will sometimes really hurt me by accidentally flinging a toy in my face or banging a drawer open into my knee. She's also just so underfoot -- I have fallen down more than once because I've turned around to discover she's right behind me and lost my balance. Of course she doesn't mean to do it but in the moment it can hurt so much.
I don't know of a solution. I think you just have to keep teaching them to be thoughtful about how they move and aware of their surroundings. Some of it is just going to happen because we are in such close proximity to them all the time. I try to remind myself that at some point she probably won't want to be snuggling with me or holding my hand or with me all the time, and maybe I'll even miss the random injuries. So, silver lining?
I don't know of a solution. I think you just have to keep teaching them to be thoughtful about how they move and aware of their surroundings. Some of it is just going to happen because we are in such close proximity to them all the time. I try to remind myself that at some point she probably won't want to be snuggling with me or holding my hand or with me all the time, and maybe I'll even miss the random injuries. So, silver lining?
Anonymous
10/13/2020 19:45
Subject: Re:Struggling with the physicality of parenting
Adults post-high school and before kids (usually a good 5-10 years at least) get used to not being physically manhandled or roughhoused. I guess the kids break you back in.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 19:41
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
You should scream in pain. What they are doing is not ok. Better now than never to teach them to respect you.
Anonymous
10/13/2020 19:39
Subject: Struggling with the physicality of parenting
I don’t know if physicality is the right word but it’s the best way for me to explain it. I have two kids - pre-school and first grade. Generally speaking they are great. They have their moments but we all do. But I really really struggle with the amount that I’m physically hurt by them. I tend not to be the roughhousing parent so this is not in the course of wild play. It’s just things that happen over the course of the day. Like tonight I was laying in bed with my four year old and he jumped into the bed and landed on me. Hard. I screamed and was exasperated. I was better within a few seconds but it was so disconcerting. This happens multiple times per week if not sometimes daily. While I try to explain to my kids that they shouldn’t do that, it’s not purposeful but rather part of their play. I don’t like the way I react but it’s truly primal. I’m so disoriented in the moment.
Any thoughts or ideas? I am sure this will fade with the years but in the moment it’s tough.
Any thoughts or ideas? I am sure this will fade with the years but in the moment it’s tough.