Monday, January 18, 2010

Mental Breakdown

Announcement: I am currently having a mental breakdown. Yes. I just threw a very large container of crayons and colored pencils all over the floor in a fit of rage. I don't usually do this kind of thing. You see, my husband has been in bed for three days with a bad back and it seems I am quite the baby when it comes to handling my boys without help. What's more disturbing is the fact that he even hobbled upstairs to help me pick them all up when I am the one who should be showing compassion on HIM. How do you single parents do it? Anyway, I reached my limit tonight and when my "patient-parent meter" is surpassed, I apparently fling hoards of crayons across the room. Therefore would it be ok with you if I postpone the posting of the winner for the "pitch contest" until tomorrow? I need to simmer down. I hope there are at least a few of you out there who have had mental breakdowns before and will understand my plight.

Starting to smile a bit after observing that Ryan appears to have a webbed hand in this photo.

18 comments:

  1. dont feel bad...this too shall pass, or get surpassed...either way. Just be thankful it was crayons (easy to clean) just think..it could have been flour or moon sand..(hate that stuff!)

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  2. I am sure everyone understands, Mindy. I hope your husband's back gets better soon.

    I suspect that those who participated did so for fun and to help anyway. :)

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  3. Everyone really does understand Mindy! having never had any brothers & having three boys of my own, I've had my moments!! I too have a husband who comes to my rescue when things have gone beyond my limit :) Wonderful aren't they?! And, as he says (once I've calmed down!), "if you'll laugh about it in 10yrs time, why not laugh about it now!?"

    Love the blog; thanks for sharing :)

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  4. When Lily was two we were having a battle of wills at 11:00 at night. I was so pissed that I punched the wall. The wall won. I broke a bone in my hand, typical boxer's fracture. The best part was explaining to the doctor and all of my family how I broke my hand. It was one of my shining moments as a mother.

    Hang in there! Thanks for keepin' it real.

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  5. Um, every night I go to sleep repenting for throwing something on the floor-not really but almost-craziness happens often especially with little boys! Glad to know it happens to other people too! Love reading all your successes- keep it up!

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  6. Mindy... single moms do it the same way you do: diligently, with passion, a mental breakdown here and there, and lots and lots of love. Keep in mind how forgiving children and husbands are and don't forget to forgive and cherish your wonderful self. You are awkwardly human as we all are. Happy Tuesday :)

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  7. Yep, do the single mom thing A LOT. Though I am not single. My hubs just travels A LOT for his job. Totally stinks, but I am a better mom because of it! Hang in there! THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

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  8. What? I'm not the only one?

    I'm sure you have heard me yell at my kids from next door. Trust me; you are NOT alone in this. I have posted enough rages and gotten enough responses to know that every parent goes through this...at least once a week.

    Also, you can ask your neighbors to take your boys for an hour a so anytime ;-)

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  9. I'd like to echo what Sue said,
    "Thanks for keepin' it real!"
    Last night, as I was feeling frustrated, I thought about one of the things my Child Psych. professor told us about children.(This was a class I took 20 yrs ago but this is one of the few things I remember) He said, "At different ages, children are like different animals. And as a parent you are not going to be good with every animal. At the time, I wanted to believe I could be. He said "You'd be lucky to be good at dealing with the majority of the different stages." My last 20 years of experience has verified what he said. And I was thinking last night that this could be applied to parenthood too. I think there are different stages or parts of parenthood and I dont think anyone can be good at all of them. Not sure that this has anything to do with your post. Just thought I'd share that with you. I've certainly had my moments of being stretched beyond my capacity for keeping it cool.
    I feel on the edge at the moment with my house, can't seem to get on top of it. So yesterday when my son called from the pet store asking if he could buy a bird. I told him I absolutely could not stand one more thing in this house that makes a mess. He asked if I was on the edge and I said, "Yep, I'm there." That is unfortunate he said. Yes I agreed, but that is where I'm at. Not the fun loving & easy going Mom that I want to be at the moment, but it is what it is. I take comfort in knowing I'm not alone.
    Hope your anchor gets better soon!

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  10. You throw things, too?! Back in the dark ages when I was in school, I'd throw my pencils across the room every time I got frustrated with my homework. Last time I was really frustrated, I threw a pvc pipe at my wall. Sometimes throwing things just makes you feel better. Sort of.

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  11. My wife curses me everytime that I or my kids acquires additional Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, or Magic: The Gathering cards. Now Bakugan have invaded our house. Somehow they all end up on the floor...

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  12. I can't believe you didn't post the winner! What!? (There goes the left side of the stuff on my desk!) The suspense is killing me! (There goes the right side!) Can you send the Glediator over to pick it up? I'm sure the stretching would be good for healing his back! ;)

    Did the landing crayons make any pretty designs? If so, maybe you can use them as the design for the cover of your next album!

    I babysat while in college, starting with 6 to 12 year olds. A mom was about to have a baby after 10+ years since the last child and wanted to 'train' me with younger kids. So, she had me babysit her friend's children, 16 months and 4 years old. I had seen temper tantrums on tv and cartoons where the person would get on the ground and bang their hands and legs while they cried out loud. The little one tried that with me one day and I couldn't help myself and started busting up laughing! With my laughing he stopped, looked up and started laughing himself! There were never any tears to begin with, the little faker! But, I almost had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard! So, Min, if you decide to do that for your next episode, please be sure you have the video camera close by and catch it for us, k? ;)

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  13. I'm a single mom and it is hard. My daughter was in a car accident over the weekend and when I got home from picking her up, dusting her off and assuring her life was OK, I had a breakdown. And no one to share it with. Most of the time I soldier on and don't even think about it, but sometimes, in the strangest of moments there comes the tiniest of fracture in my armour and I crack. Then I patch it back together and start another day. It is the same thing everyone does, but slightly different without someone to say "it is your turn".

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  14. Oh Maile, that just makes me want to cry! Hang in there. Your daughter is lucky to have you.

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  15. Here's a post that describes a time when I lost it. The posts that follow mention further disasters and then how many friends helped me when I asked for it. That part was awesome.

    http://www.becomingsomething.com/2009/02/im-checking-out-folks.html

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  16. Thanks for sharing your post Natasha! I'm sure if we shared half of what really goes on in our lives, we would all feel so much more normal.

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  17. Oh Mindy, I once threw a toy down the stairs in a rage, and put a hole in my drywall. I left the hole there for a little while to remind me to "simmer down" I was so shocked at myself.

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