Whinning (her)...Exhausted(me)

annerbones

I am exhausted, life is always stressful at the end of the school year. I am working with my school team to save our rural school from being shut down by the district - I have been at meetings every night this week and it will continue into next week.

Unfortunately, this leaves both Maggie and myself exhausted. She has been whinning non stop. I lost my cool and raised my voice at daycare today when she head butted me. Last week she bit me and left a mark on my shoulder. I am so frustrated - I don't even know what to do anymore. I feel like a horrible mom, she behaves for everyone else.

old mama

You are not a horrible mom...I see that with my kids too...if I am frustrated and on edge they are too...sometimes it helps to just take a family time out...if you can squeeze some time just for the two of you and just forget your problems for a few minutes to regroup whatever...it isn't bad for our children to see us not at our best and I think it is fine for a parent to say...I am sorry...or you just need to give me a few minutes...mom is mad/sad ect. Even with my disabled children I will say...I am angry right now but not at you but I need some time alone or you need to go watch TV or play with your toy ect. for a while. I hope you are successful at saving your school. I taught for 15 yrs in a very small school district. I moved with my family back to my hometown when I stopped teaching to be near better services for my disabled children. I just found out they are closing the school down where I taught...my heart is broken...the community's soul was that school...

sara291

I've had a few similar situations with Riley. We've had a few crazy weeks here and there and I see similar behavior in him. I know its because of everything going on. I don't ignore the behavior but I try not to make a huge deal out of it. This crazy time will pass and things will hopefully return to normal I just try & make other times a little extra special. Like with Riley when life has been beyond crazy I'll try & stop & give him a little extra attention when I can. Even if its just a few minutes & it helps. Or I'll plan a few simple special treats like hot coco & a quick snuggle or I bought his favorite muffins & put my phone away & just sat & talked for 10 or so minutes before school. Riley loves playing games with me so I went on Amazon & bought a few cheap old classic kid games. They don't take long & he LOVES the time. Maybe buying a few cheap things that would give you two something new & special to do together & maybe a new movie for when you just need a few minutes. Riley loves frozen! Don't make a huge deal out of the negative behavior & try & make a few special moments by focusing 110% on her. All this will pass.

I love this book for when I lose my cool a little too much with the kids

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0152045988/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1399740493&sr=8-1

Kari

I think our kids can pick up on our anxiety levels, and that affects their anxiety as well and then you get the behaviors you don't usually see. Plan some fun, relaxing stuff with her to keep things calmer at home if you can.

We're going through a similar situation here. Four or five years ago all the schools in the state had to consolidate into districts of at least 2,000 students or pay a penalty (which never happened to those who didn't consolidate). We went through a year or two of trying to figure out how to consolidate, then three years without a teaching contract. Now, four years in, the wealthiest city is trying to pull out of the district because they're tired of the two smaller towns in the district voting down their big sports complexes (as their taxes rise 1.6% and ours rise 6% and 8%). In the meantime, our middle school was closed, my job completely changed, and my job went from full-time at one school to half-time at two different schools. After this year, if the city pulls out of the district, I'm not guaranteed a job at either school despite 17 years and tenure. My heart goes out to you. It's a difficult time to be a teacher right now.