Mommy Thoughts (Part 2)

More mommy thoughts... 

Everett is still very cranky and irritable every single afternoon.  On the days that he naps he is slightly less cranky but still in an overall unhappy mood.  He will ask for something and then change his mind as soon as you have started to get him whatever it was he was asking for. 

My cute Captain Cranky-Pants and
his sidekick Baby Messy-Pants

Here's what a typical afternoon looks like at our place: 

He wants to go outside, no now we have to go back inside inside right now! Tears and screams.

Hold me!   

He wants to eat fruit snacks, no now he wants cake, no now it's cereal, now it's nothing because we have gotten too close to the high chair and he is freaking out.  Tears and screams. 

Hold me! 

He wants to go potty, NO POTTY MOMMY! (Imagine a flailing and screaming two year old.) 

Hold me! 

He wants to watch tv, not that show, or that one, or that one.  He only wants to watch the one he's seen about ninety times. (This is not an exaggeration.)  Tears and screams. 

Hold me! 

Tyler and I are trying our hardest to work with him on his wants and needs but end up being so frustrated. We do try to accommodate his requests but it is hard to know what we should let him dictate and what we get to decide.  Sure, it's acceptable for him to want to watch a show (his favorite right now is Mater's Tall Tales) but how many times do we have to watch the same show over and over (and over and over) again before we say no.  Is it not okay that Tyler and I want to watch one of our own shows every once in a while? 

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY KID.  He is such a sweet little dude and I would do anything for him which is why I want need to find out a way to help him through this.  I just don't know what happens every day around 4 o'clock to make him act this way and I don't know what to do about it.

Here's what I do know: 

• I know that he wants more attention
• I know he is tired, especially if he hasn't napped all day
• I know he has a new brother that takes time away from him
• I know that he is a toddler and has huge emotions that he doesn't know how to handle

There are two approaches that we have tried for all of this hoop-la- the first, ignore it; the second, give him whatever calms him down.  For obvious reasons neither of those are working and neither of them will produce a happy and well adjusted child.  

I have posted about these struggles in some of the groups that I am in on facebook and have received some really great advice.  I am so thankful to have such a great community of mothers that I can speak freely with.  These women are all living life in a way that is like-minded to mine and I know that the suggestions and tips they offer are heartfelt. 

Two things that we are really going to be working on are giving Everett one-on-one time and a schedule that he can learn and anticipate every day.  It isn't going to be a strict schedule, but something like this: 

• Wake up
• Eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed for the day 
• Morning activity
•  Play dates, play at the park, story time, run errands, etc. 
• Lunch time 
• Nap time
• Quiet time if he refuses to nap
• Snack 
• One-on-One time with Daddy/Mommy
• Playing outside, crafts, etc. 
• Dinner
• Wind down time
• Watch tv, go for a walk, etc. 
• Bath, brush teeth, jammies on
• Bed time

So here is hoping that this will help.  I am planning on making some sort of poster that has all of this written out so that Everett can see it and know what we are doing.  I am not really sure if this will help him with his afternoon crankiness but it's worth a shot! 

What are your thoughts?  Is it going to get easier?!