This post is part of a Blog Hop called At War With Four…check out the other brilliant posts!
If you have a 4 year old you probably have a story like this…
Walking down the road with Mr4, he has a smile on his face, excited to get on the ferry for our daily trek to the city where he goes to preschool and I go to work.
He takes a quick breath an asks, “Hey, mummy, you’ve got my fake teeth, haven’t you?”
“Oh no, sorry sweetie, they’re back up in the apartment, we’ll get them later.”
“NO!” his face crumbles and it’s as if the sun has suddenly been blotted out with inky clouds. “You get them NOW!” screeches mini-dictator. At 7.00am, in the middle of the street, at the top of his lungs.
I hiss, “Shhhh! We have to catch the ferry, you’ll get to have your teeth as soon as we get home” His body rises up and he begins to virtually prance down the street. But it’s a mad, angry, annoying prance. And I think, Oh god, people are staring at us. I am the worst mother. They know I can’t control my mini-monster.
He has long had the ability to go from Delight to Disaster, but now that he is four, his opinions – and confidence – mean that he approaches life with a certainty that only a four-year-old-going-on-fourteen-year-old can muster.
“Seriously, kid, cut the attitude.”, I hiss desperate for him to stop. “I do NOT have an attitude, mummy…YOU have an attitude!”, he responds with a whine.
The rest of our walk is a combination of shushing, distraction and bribery. And my mini-dictator keeps me on my toes until the moment I drop him at preschool.
Next stop? The corner cafe for a very large coffee…
This post is part of a Blog Hop called At War With Four…check out the other brilliant posts!
I love this! The desperate shushing, begging, bribery. Oh god. I seem to be there almost daily (sometimes more). And each day when I drop my Mr4 at preschool I too head to a Corner Cafe …. cheaper than therapy!
Michelle x
Oh boy, does this bring back memories. Meltdowns were common at my house when I didn’t remember EVERYTHING. I got to the point where I traveled around with one of those big carpet bags like Mary Poppins filled with everyone’s plastic teeth, blankets, toys, or whatever else was the favorite so I could whip it out at a moment’s notice. Hope that large coffee helped…maybe with a shot in it!
Ah-huh! The meltdown. They are a common occurrence in our house at the moment. Miss 3.5 is a master at them. One minute sweet and innocent and the next a screaming banshee. Only the other day I had to literally drag her out of Woollies screaming as I said she couldn’t have a lolly today. I’m surprised I didn’t have child services waiting for me when I got home with the looks I was getting!
I just keep telling myself through gritted teeth, “it will pass”.
I hear you. And I wonder if things will magically improve in just 8 weeks when Miss 4 becomes Miss 5. No, I suspect not…
4yo kids can be a nightmare! One minute you’re amazed at the beautiful people they are growing into, the next you want to tear your hair out. Love ‘em. x
As the mother of a four year old boy, you have no idea how much I can relate this this. Thank gawd! It’s not just me!!!