Shame on Me

I sometimes lose my temper.  I try not to.  I have learned that the quickest way for Haley to spiral out of control is to lose control myself.  Sometimes it is just hard though.

I didn't really get that upset today, but it was enough.

Haley seems to be hungry constantly.  She eats breakfast when she wakes up and then within an hour or two she is ready for lunch.  I sometimes suggest that she has a snack like fruit when that happens, but she is usually pretty insistent that what she wants is lunch.  It's easy enough to get her what she wants because she usually pulls out leftovers.

Today Haley had breakfast at about 8:30 in the morning and then wanted lunch at 10:30.

Around noon I was busy with something and missed my lunch.  I was hungry.  I came downstairs around 1:00 and started making my lunch and Haley brought me the oatmeal container.  I told her that I would make her some oatmeal after I was done eating.

Well, that was obviously not acceptable.  Haley started whining and crying and bringing me other options.  I don't know how many times I told her that I would make her oatmeal when I was done eating.  She just wasn't accepting it.  I finally got her to stop handing me food and sit down on the couch.  She sat there and cried.  The tears were slowly falling down her face, I felt bad.

I came up behind her and asked her if I hurt her feelings when I got mad at her.  She said "Yeah."  I told her that I was sorry and I said "You know Mom loves you, don't you?"  She said "I know."  She was still sad when I finished her oatmeal and put it on the table.  She usually eats two bowls of oatmeal, but she only ate one and then came an sat down beside me on the couch.  She is still upset.  It takes her a long time to get over things like that.  I should have been more careful.

I shouldn't let myself get hungry.