"Attainable Goals"

There are times lately that everything is really, really good.  

These past few weeks have not been one of those times.  

I know I'm not alone.  What are your parenting struggles right now?  Feel free to post here or on your own blog if you want to share.

http://shannonsrainbow.blogspot.com/2015/10/attainable-goals.html

So here's what I'm working on.

One: saying "no" less often. Calliope really wanted to use the sunscreen stick this morning. Never mind that it is a rainy day in November in the northeast. So although it's messy, I said, yes... once she was otherwise ready to go. And when we got to school, I dabbed off the worse of the streaky white mess.

She wanted me to take a picture of Baby Jenna. My first instinct was to say "no, I don't need
a picture of a plastic doll."
Then I realized I could take a cute picture of Calliope with Baby Jenna.
Win.
Everyone is happy.

My first instinct is always to say no to more messes. I'm trying to say yes.

And two: not getting stressed and impatient with Calliope moving slowly. This is especially hard when trying to get out of the apartment in the mornings. Weekday mornings are, if not a well oiled machine, at least a lot smoother because we have very regular routines. But weekends... sometimes Calliope gets her screen time. I'm scurrying around trying to get things done and also to have a few minutes to relax on the couch and check email. So it's late morning by the time we are trying to leave, and sometimes, I just want to scream at the maddening pace and the "wait, I need to bring my fill-in-the-blank-which-I-won't-remember-to-play-with-while-we-are-out." And I get really tense. And tend to bark. So I'm trying to work on that.

Laura Markham suggests using "this is not an emergency" as a mantra and I'm trying.