Harris Family: 3 year old Attitude

Most mornings around here are pretty busy and always rushing. Half the time Bridger will wake up before we have to leave, the other half - he wakes to me getting him dressed.
Those mornings where he wakes earlier are usually a recipe for disaster. He always wants his diaper changed (yes, we are still on diapers at night) and if you are lucky, he will take it off and we can just pull his jammies back up for the remainder of the short morning before he has to get dressed. If not - we fight about wanting a diaper on or wanting underwear on, then over what type of underwear. After that we have to get him situated watching his shows. That isn't easy either - some mornings he is fine sitting in mama's bed watching, other morning he wants to go downstairs and watch down there. Then - you will never escape without having to get him a drink. Normally he requests chocolate milk. Yes, he does think he runs this household. So we can even fight over just getting regular milk. Now, after all that, lets hope neither one of us forgot his blanket. Otherwise, its back up the stairs for that. Those can turn into fights as well because, duh, how did I not know he wanted another blanket too. Silly me. Then as I am heading back upstairs to finally finish getting ready, hello mom, you didn't get me a snack. ugh.....really? This routine takes forever! Both Ryan and I try to rush thru it, but you have to be careful because you never want to piss him off because then surely your morning will turn from crazy to horrible.

Earlier this week we experienced that horrible morning. Bridger woke up early and went straight downstairs to his daddy. He hung out there asking daddy for everything he wanted....which was perfect, I was already running late. I didn't see him until I came downstairs to start getting him ready. I can't even remember how, but this spiraled out of control pretty quick. Everything I asked him to do, that I always ask him to do - he refused. He talked back and was being so defiant. I unfortunately was already in a foul mood from running behind. The more Bridger talked back the more I could feel my temp raising and anger brewing. This turned chaotic so quickly. Every single thing I said to him, he would say "Shut up" or "You're Stupid" or "You're dumb" I usually can threaten him with things like no tv or take a toy away, and this particular morning, NOTHING worked. He even told me "No you won't." This fight made me even later than I already was. I guess he was doing it knowing I won't really "get on" him because I was rushing to get out the door. I couldn't believe it. I yelled back at him. I got so angry. I made so many threats of taking things away, etc. we fought all the way till I dropped him off at daycare. We didn't even have our normal good bye. I was furious. I grounded him for 2 days. LOL! He doesn't even know what that means, but I did and it worked for me in the moment.

I need to learn to control my anger just as much. By lunch time I was feeling so so so terrible. I really hate being that way with my baby. I just felt awful - I wanted to leave work right away to go scoop him up and love him. Snuggle him. Kiss him.

Bridger is definitely Ryan and I and some things I think would've been better left out, hahaha, but what can ya do. This kid literally thinks yelling and being mean when mad is ok. I put him in time out one day last week and he kicked his nightlight in and shattered the bulb all over the floor by where it was plugged in. I was so baffled by how he could get so angry to do that. He is 3. I always say "Oh he is only 3" but I keep forgetting they pick up everything from us. Its crazy. 3 but so smart!!

I am going to have to try SO hard to not let this happen again. Ryan thought it was funny only because we were fighting....and hes 3.....and he totally knows how I feel. I don't ever want my baby to remember this hard morning like that one and hold onto the moment forever. I am so astonished by how much attitude this little guy has. We have our hands so full and I really think with each age, he is pushing us more and more to see what he can get away with.

I have been at witts end with him. We are trying to factor out things and taking things away here and there....maybe food? drinks? Could be any of those things causing him to act crazy. I just love him so much I don't want to spend my time with him arguing or disciplining the entire time! I want to enjoy it and eat it up. He is growing so so quickly. I just need to get ahold of him before he has ahold of us.

We will start looking at schools next year. This is something I am dreading tremendously. I just know I am going to have SO many problems with him. I know this is going to be work. Hard work. I just don't know how to handle it yet and picking the proper school is probably very crucial.